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I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.* 



|lisp. D.-s). |op E rijM |fo. lfi..5j\ 
\l UNITED STATES OP AMERICA.! 



" The day."— Gen. ii. 4. 

"' Six days." — Fourth Commandment. 



Eternity. 



GOD. 



The Beginning. 



Eternity. 



Matter. 



Motion. 



Light. 



Nebula. 
Page 132. 



3. 



4. 























The Earth. 




A 


All water as vapor. 

Page 133. 
Water as now. 










A 


Land covered. No vegetation. 

Page 133. 
Land as now. Vegetation completed. 














A No seasons. 
/ \ Page 134. 
\ Seasons. 


















A Pa^l35. 
\ Fish and Fowl of to-day. 




















A Page 135. 
1 \ Land animals of to-day. 

\_y\ Man - 






















1 




















1 


Keign of Man. 
1 To-day. 



The apex of each angle denotes the beginning of a stage of progress, 
increasing to completion, after which there was no further develop- 
ment in that direction. This is indicated by the parallelism of the 
lines. See pp. 131-135, also p. 92, p. 157, p. 165. The horizontal num- 
bered lines denote the position of the " days," each marking the close 
of an epoch of immeasurable, length. The work done, or progress 
made between the " days," is described for each epoch, on the page 
referred to. 

The double angles indicate a double development. 



"STRIKE, BUT HEAR ME." 



THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION, 

THE MIRACLE OF TO-DAY; 

OR, 

NEW WITNESSES TO THE 

ONENESS OF GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED 

AN INQUIRY AS TO THE CAUSE AND EPOCH OF THE 

PRESENT INCLINATION OF THE EARTH'S AXIS, 

AND AN ESSAY UPON COSMOLOGY. 



"The most important thing for us in every branch of knowledge, is 
to see the thing as in itself it really is."— Arnold. 



by - 



CHARLES B. WARRING. 



NEW YORK: 
J. W. SCHERMERHORN & CO., 

14 Bond Street. 
1875. 




J5651 






'3* 



ADYEKTISEMENT. 



This book can be bad of Booksellers generally, or of the 
Publisher by whom it will be sent by mail, postage paid, on 
receipt of price, $2.00. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by 

CHARLES B. WARRING, 
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



PKEFACE. 



My purpose in this Essay is to compare the 
statements in the first two Chapters of Genesis 
with the scientific discoveries and conclusions 
thus far attained. I have endeavored to do this 
as fairly and thorotighly as possible, and while I 
am well aware that my conviction of the super- 
human character of that Account permeates this 
book, yet I confidently appeal to the words of 
Moses on the one hand, and to Scientists upon 
the other, as to the correctness of my statements. 
It is a true saying that a belief is not necessarily 
true because it is old, nor false because it is new. 
Each one should stand, or fall, according to the 
character of the evidence adduced in its behalf — a 
principle for which the Header will find use. 

There is little Science in this Essay that is not 
the common property of all who have in any 
degree kept up with the progress of Physical 
research. Indeed, by far the larger part is strongly 
insisted upon, or quietly assumed as needing no 
further proof, by Evolutionists, with whom, how- 
ever much it may be my lot to differ on other 



IV PREFACE. 

subjects, in these I agree most fully. I have, 
however, taken scientifically heterodox ground in 
reference to a change of the earth's axial position. 
For a full discussion of this, and also a develop- 
ment of the Nebular Hypothesis, the Reader is 
referred to Part III. Should it be shown that 
my argument is erroneous, and that I am wrong 
in my views in reference to the work of the 
"fourth day," the Reader is reminded that it 
is the explanation only, and not the Narrative 
itself, that he has proved false. This still re-* 
mains, and, if true, will surely at some time so 
appear. 

The Geologic Record from the close of the. 
Tertiary, or the beginning of the Glacial Epoch, 
lacks, the fulness and exactness that mark the 
older periods. One most important fact, how- 
ever, has been established beyond question, viz. 
that the present " living " species of fishesj birds, 
reptiles, and mammals, as well as Man, appeared 
after that date, and I think I may add, after the 
dominance of the Glaciers. 

In a few instances I have ventured to change 
the received translation to one that seemed nearer 
to the very words of Moses. Above all things in 
this discussion, there is needed perfect thorough- 
ness that shall leave no after questions to come 
up. Any decision based upon a version that 
attempts to improve upon the Hebrew, or which 
ignores any physical fact or law, germane to the 



PREFACE. "V 

subject, must be just so far defective, and cannot 
bear the test of examination. 

Friends and foes have united in rejecting the 
claim of the Mosaic Narrative to be literally true.* 
The former, or at least many of them, style it a 
Hymn of Creation or an Allegory, and escape all 
scientific difficulties by the assertion that Moses 
taught, not Physics, but Morals. The rejectors 
of this narrative style it a Myth or Fable, and 
dogmatically, and even superciliously, assume its 
unhistorical character to have been so well estab- 
lished " that the student of science . . . will not 
trouble himself further with these theologies, but 
will confine his attention to such arguments against 
the view he holds as are based upon purely scien- 
tific data." f 

I hope it will not be deemed presumptuous to 
hold an opinion directly the opposite, for it is in 
no spirit of vanity that I differ from so many wise 
and able men, at whose feet, as a learner, I would 
gladly sit. In this independence of thought I am 
encouraged by the words of cheer uttered just 
now at Belfast by one wmose eloquence is sur- 
passed only by his science. Whoever else may 
give harsh and suspicious greeting to this effort to 

* Even such a stanch advocate of its divine origin as 
Prof. Dana, Manual, p. 7G7-8, says, " the account must bear 
marks of human imperfection." " In the style of a sublime 
intellect. . . . unversed in the depths of science which the 
future was to reveal." 

f Prof. Huxley. 



VI PREFACE. 

discover the true correlation of Genesis and Sci- 
ence, I feel assured of a patient hearing from such 
men in the search after truth, and that no preju- 
dice nor pride of opinion will prevent their holding 
an equal balance in which the reasons offered 
may be impartially weighed. 

It was my purpose to indicate some of the 
more important points in this discussion, but I 
find it difficult to make a selection. Perhaps the 
chronological order is worthy of special note ; as is 
also the work of tjie " third day." The sharply 
defined character of the latter, and the equally 
clear Geological record in reference to the same 
developments, render the comparison eminently 
satisfactory. Attention is also called to the " read- 
ings between the lines." These, perhaps as much 
as anything else, throw light upon the truthful- 
ness of the Narrative. 

It will be seen that I have added another to 
the attempts to solve the meaning of the " days." 
The solution I offer has the drawback of novelty, 
and, perhaps, nothing in this Essay will so cross 
and disturb a belief hoary with antiquity. It 
seems to me, however, impossible to reject it, so 
exactly and easily does it meet all the conditions 
of the problem, the wording of the " day clauses," 
and of the fourth Commandment, as well as all 
the Astronomical and Geological facts. As to this 
and other theories advanced in this Essay, re- 
sponsibility attaches to myself alone, save so far 



PREFACE. VU 

as germs of thought from other sources have been 
insensibly wafted into my mind. In no case, as 
far as known, has any other writer entered upon 
this subject, taking the very words, verba ipsis- 
sima, of Moses as the basis of comparison. 

The Introductory article is specially devoted 
to Believers in a Revelation. It was thus more 
easy to say certain things deemed important, but 
which seemed out of place in the more purely 
Scientific part. Yet there are matters in it of 
interest to others and of use in understanding the 
rest of this book. The first, second, and fourth 

chapters were originally letters to . This may 

help explain some peculiarities of style and ar- 
rangement. 

I add a few words in reference to certain 
allied matters not strictly within the scope of this 
book, but which, some may think, ought to be 
spoken of in such an Essay as this. 

A class of Scientists of distinguished ability 
have reached a conclusion to their inquiries into 
the origin of things, in the proposition that " all 
evolution " is due to a Power Unknowable, a 
proposition which they appear to regard as an 
important outstretch of the human mind. I can 
understand that one can positively and truly assert 
that this Power is unknown to him, or that, on 
the authorit}' of a person who has thoroughly ex- 
amined and comprehended this Power and the 
capacity of the human mind, he may receive as a 



Vlll PREFACE. 

matter of faith the assertion that this First Cause 
is " Unknowable," but how any man can assert 
this of his own authority, I cannot conceive. 
The very affirmation implies the most exhaustive 
knowledge, and thus destroys itself. This, how- 
ever, is a false issue, of not the slightest practi- 
cal value. The only question that concerns us is, 
Can this Power make himself known to us ? 
Does he interest himself in his creatures ? Does 
he regard their welfare ? If so, can he let us 
know it ? I can communicate my wishes to my 
fellows ; even the brutes have, in a limited degree, 
the same faculty. Has this Unknown Power less 
ability % These are questions that have not yet 
received, from those whose motto is, " Freedom of 
inquiry in all directions," that attention which 
their importance demands. 

A possible proof of a Revelation has of late 
made much stir in the world, and it may be 
thought that I have not given it due considera- 
tion. I refer to the so-called Prayeb Test. It 
is, however, fairly included in what is said in the 
first chapter about miracles. I may add, however, 
that it is nothing new, for the Old Testament 
abounds in Prayer Tests. Many of these will 
occur to the Bible student. I shall mention only 
one, selecting that, partly on account of its appo- 
siteness, and partly as illustrating the use of the 
words Jehovah and God. I refer to Elijah's 
prayer for a direct physical aiiswer to the then 



PREFACE. IX 

practical question, whether Jehovah be God, or 
whether Baal be God.* 

A comparison between Genesis and Science 
which omits all notice of Evolution by Natural 
Selection, will, to many minds, seem to lack an 
important element of completeness. To such it 
may be said, that Evolution without higher 
guidance is proved false, if the Account in 
Genesis is true. Hence, if this be established, 
such Evolution needs no other refutation. But 
Evolution under the control and direction of 
the Great First Cause, God, is not incompatible 
with the truth of that narrative. It may even be 
true to a large extent, but, that it is infinitely 
more under his control than the development of 
certain breeds of cattle, or varieties of pigeons, is 
under the control of intelligent men, the truth of 
the Mosaic Account of Creation, if established, 
conclusively proves. 

* See 1 Kings xviii. v. 21-39. Note in v. 39 the use of 
these words implied in the utterance of the convinced and 
convicted people, " Jehovah, he is the God, Jehovah, he is 
the God." 



CONTENTS. 



PREFACE. 

PAGE 

Purpose of this Essay .- iii 

Geological Record since the Tertiary iv 

Thoroughness needed iv 

Some of the more important points vi 

The " Days " vi 

About an Unknowable Power vii 

The Prayer Test viii 

Evolution, by Natural Selection ix 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Religious question of to-day 9 

Mosaic Account of Creation the key to the position 10 

The Witnesses. 11 

Commentator's Notions 14 

The only tenable ground 16 

Plan of study. '. 16 

The key to the mystery 17 

Plan of this book 18 

Difficulties outside 20 

Character of the Narrative ... 21 

The hardest thing to believe 22 



Xll CONTENTS. 

PART I. 
CHAPTER I. 

OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 

PAGE 

A Revelation not intrinsically improbable 26 

The question one of evidence 27 

Kind of evidence needed 28 

A PRESENT MIRACLE 29 

Revelation not to be rejected because we fail fully to 

comprehend it 30 

The character of a revealed Cosmog-ony 31 

Extraneous matter to be thrown one side 31 

Authority of little weight 32 

Not to be condemned for the theories of others 33 

Science just come nearly abreast of Genesis 34 

Its rejection fatal to Science 34 

Peculiar Character of this Account. . .' 35 

Its obvious purpose 35 

Fifteen creative acts 36 

Another purpose, viz., to authenticate a revelation 36 

The question of dignity does not concern us 37 

Not a just objection that the Narrative is not clothed in 

scientific language , 37 

The value of phenomenal statements 37 

Genesis is more than Science 40 

The six days 40 

No creative act mentioned in any of the days 41 

" Firmament " 42 

What Genesis says, and what it does not say 43 

" In conclusion " 46 

CHAPTER II. 

the unity of genesis and science. 

Historical perspective * 49 

This the most literal prose 52 



CONTENTS. Xlll 



" In tlie beginning " 53 

Theophobia 54 

Indications of a beginning , 55 

Nebular Hypothesis 55 

Of forces 57 

First effects of 59 

During the formative process 60 

" The light, day " 61 

Thorough mastery of his subject 62 

The firmament 65 

Why called heaven 66 

Why not pronounced " good " 66 

Let the dry land appear 68 

Completion of the continents 68 

" Not of course " 69 

Meaning of " let appear " 70 

Later Hebrew Science 70 

The Geological account 71 

Ancient life 72 

Grasses, herbs, and fruit trees 73 

Angiosperms 73 

Why these are placed in the same period as the appear- 
ance of the dry land 74 

Why speak of these and remain silent as to earlier 

flora 75 

A Biological date 76 

Uniformity of law 76 

No seasons then 77 

• Let there be lights " 77 

Plants may have been created afterwards also 81 

Biological date, a later one 82 

" He made the Stars also " 82 

After the Glaciers 85 

Fifth creative period 85 

Sixth creative period 88 

The Sabbath 90 



XIV CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER III. 

THE DAYS. 

PAGE 

Former explanations of their meaning 92 

First use of " day " 93 

" One day " , 94 

Days, as epochal 95-97 

Day, as an indefinite period 97 

ON THE PECULIAR PHRASEOLOGY OP THE DAY CLAUSES. 

" One" not " first " 99 

A peculiar expression 99 

The Author knew all modern Science 100 

The axis perpendicular . . . . 101 

The true key to the " days " 102 

The completions were world-wide 104 

Sabbath 105 

CHAPTER IV. 

THE EVIDENCE FURTHER CONSIDERED. 

A law of development 107 

The order of development 108 

A controlling Intelligence 109 

Mosaic view of God's part in development 112 

If Genesis is a myth, so is all physical science 115 

Comparison in detail of the two records 120 

Sir John Leslie 126 

Resume of facts in Genesis 129 

The philosophical division into six periods 131 

CHAPTER V. 

ON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF GENESIS. 

The connection with the first 136 

A paraphrase 139 

Formation of Man 139 



CONTENTS. XV 

PAQB 

Garden of Eden formed 140 

Centres of creation 141 

Tree of life 141 

Tree of knowledge of good and evil 141 

Formation of Eve 143 



PART II. 

STUDIES IN GENESIS. 

A HARMONY OF THE FIKST TWO CHAPTERS 147 

THE PERSONALITY OP THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT OP 
CREATION. 

An impersonal Genesis ' 155 

Impossibility of 156 

Elohim 157 

GOD'S VERDICT OF APPROVAL. 

Why some acts are pronounced "good " and others not. 157 

The Divine Monologue 161 

The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters . . 163 

on the " six days " of the fourth commandment.. . 165 

On the plants and animals of Eden 168 

Conjectures as to the physical facts underlying 
the Mosaic Account of the Creation of Ani- 
mals 175 



XVI CONTENTS. 

PART III. 

INTRODUCTION. 

PAGB 

What was the work of the Fourth day ? 187 

Opinions as to 187 

Geological difficulties of former explanations 188 

If true, what must have been done 189 

The field is open 190 

Where this work is placed 191 

Four lines of proof 192 

THE CAUSE AND EPOCH OF THE INCLINATION 
OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

SECTION I. 

Axis has changed its position 195 

The present question 197 

Conclusions based on Uniformity of law 198 

And on polar fossils 199 

Geological evidence, 199 

Importance of light to plants, etc 200 

Answer to Lyell 205 

SECTION II. 

Possible causes. 210 

A miraculous interposition 210 

Magnetic influence of the Sun 212 

Effects of Meteors 213 

Centrifugal forces 214 

Attraction of Sun and Moon upon upheavals 218 

Polar upheavals, existence of 222 

Glaciers 222 

Upheavals normal 225 

Magnitude of a needed Circumpolar upheaval 227 

Lyell's map .228 



CONTENTS. XV11 

PAGE 

Sources of polar upheavals 230 

Ice-caps • 231 

Difference in inclination of Moon's orbit and Earth's 

equator, not largely due to movement of the Moon. 233 

Conclusion 236 

Resume 237 

Another theory as to the work of the fourth day 241 



COSMOLOGY. 

What it is proposed to show 244 

What is assumed 245 

Primordial condition 245 

Cause of motion 246 

First important conclusion 247 

Effect of upheavals 248 

Results of a Nebulous Condition 250 

A series of planets 252 

Orbital and axial movements normally in same direction. 252 

Axial motions all normally in same direction 253 

Orbits eccentric. . .• 255 

Planes inclined 256 

Planes of the equators inclined from 0° to 180° 250 

Retrograde motion of Satellites 263 

Direction of Satellites may differ from axial motion of 

primaries 264 

Saturn's eighth Satellite , . . . ; 265 

Inclination of Moon's orbit 269 

Sun's axis inclined, cause of 274 

THE ROTATION OF THE MOON. 

Moon once revolved more rapidly than now 275 

Lunar tides 270 

Lunar ridges 277 

Earth once revolved more rapidly 278 



XV111 CONTENTS. 

PAGK 

Why tlie exterior planets revolve more rapidly than 

the inner ones 279 

Mars 279 

CONCLUSION. 

Nebulous mass would generate a system similar to the 

Solar 280 

The plastic force was heat 281 

Back to Genesis 282 

THE ASTEROIDS. 

Three theories 283 

Another theory 284 

A not unreasonable explanation 286 

No anomaly .- 287 

RINGS OF SATURN. 

Its rings and satellites 288 

General opinion of 288 

A theory in reference to 288 

Temperature of 289 

On the densities of planets 290 

Effects of rings 291 



INTRODUCTORY. 



TO THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE BIBLE AS A 
REVELATION FROM GOD. 

^T^HE great religious question of to-day resolves 
-*- itself into three : Is there a God % Is he a 
personal God ? Has he given us a revelation ? 

An affirmative answer to the last, if sustained, 
is an answer to all. In reference to the sufficiency 
of the reply, it is a matter of no consequence, 
whether that revelation be .long or short, whether 
it is contained in one chapter or fifty. It is the 
fact that any revelation has been made, that con- 
clusively answers the questions. 

Still, if it could be shown beyond cavil, that 
one chapter of a book claiming to be a revelation, 
was really such, the probability of a like authority 
for the other portions would be infinitely increased, 
and the burden ^>f proving a negative would be 
thrown upon those who deny it. 

The reality of such a revelation is earnestly 
asserted on the one side, and denied upon the 
other. The controversy has been long, each party 
claims the victory thus far, and each professes 
to be confident of the final result. 



10 INTRODUCTORY. 

But to one who studies the history of the last 
hundred years, it is evident that the real success 
has been with the defenders of a revelation, at least 
in the departments of History, Archaeology, Phi- 
lology, and Geography, although these were, not 
long ago, loudly proclaimed as the witnesses that, 
when fully heard, should destroy the credibility 
of the Bible ; for, whatever men may say as to other 
revelations, the Bible is the only book that is seri- 
ously considered by those who have engaged in 
this conflict. 

So overwhelmingly corroborative is the result 
of these investigations, that we shall probably hear 
no more against the historical verity of the Bible. 
The same class of opponents are now weaving the- 
ories on which the facts, recorded may be strung as 
facts, but with a purely natural explanation. 

The conflict at the present day is more intense 
than ever, perhaps because it is limited to the one 
field of Natural Science, perhaps from a conscious- 
ness that no other strong line of attack is left. 

The assaults more or less directly centre on the 
Mosaic Account of Creation. In fact, that is the 
key to the whole position. It| assailants must 
show its falsity or admit the reality of a revelation. 
If they fail in that, all is lost. There is not left 
them even a safe line of retreat. To admit the 
truth of the Mosaic account, annihilates disbelief 
in the personality of God, in his personal inter- 
ference in the affairs of men, and in miracles, for it 



INTRODUCTORY. 11 

is itself, if true, a personal interference and a mira- 
cle, the very things as to whose existence there 
was debate. 

Into this conflict I propose to enter, not to ex- 
plain and soften down the words of Moses, but to 
take them, verba ipsissima, just as written, abating 
not one iota. 

This narrative deals with events that occurred, 
if they occurred at all, before man appeared upon 
the earth. It cannot therefore, like many other 
parts of the Bible, be collated with ancient manu- 
scripts or monumental inscriptions. 

But we have other means of testing it, unknown 
till within the last few decades. These are found 
in the positive knowledge of very many important 
facts in our world's ante-human history. 

I turn therefore to the marvelous results obtain- 
ed by astronomers, geologists, and philosophers, and 
summon. the sciences they have called into exist- 
ence. By these I propose to show the literal truth 
of the first two chapters of Genesis, not only as to 
the things said to have been done, but, what is, if 
possible, more extraordinary, as to the very order 
of their occurrence. 

No scientist can challenge these Witnesses. 
Indeed, his rejection of them would be suicide, 
while their admission is fatal to the whole array 
of infidelity based upon a supposed contradiction 
between Moses and the history of our world as 
recorded by Nature herself. 



12 INTRODUCTORY. 

Nor can they be charged with a bias toward 
the supernatural. Indeed, by a strange but provi- 
dential misapprehension, it has been, and is even 
now, the loudly proclaimed belief of the oppo- 
nents of the Bible, that the evidence of these Wit- 
nesses, if fairly and impartially received, would 
result in the consignment of the Book to the 
myths of an effete mythology, by the side of 
Hindu and other absurd Cosmogonies. 

While no believer in the Bible shared such 
expectations, having grounds for his belief inde- 
pendent of all theories, it must be admitted that 
many have felt great fears of Science, and have 
watched its progress with jealous eyes. Antici- 
pating a conflict of statements, they have taken 
refuge in the assertion that the Bible is a No- 
Science Book ; as if the God of all science could 
indite an account of creation, and give no infor- 
mation about it ! 

The evidence that will be presented in this 
essay will be drawn from the following Sciences : 

Astronomy ; including" the Nebular Hypothesis, 
Cosmic changes from the Nebula to the Planet, 
the present condition of the Sun and larger planets, 
the Stellar Universe, and also the attraction of 
gravitation and the laws of motion. 

Optics ; embracing the Undulatory Theory of 
Light, and the results of Spectroscopic observa- 
tions. 

Geology ; including Paleontology, and espe- 



INTRODUCTORY. 13 

eially the Glacial Period, in reference to its Bio- 
logical Epoch, as well as Climatic position. 

Geography, Physical and Descriptive. 

Botany, and Zoology, and Meteorology. The 
last at least as far as the laws regulating the capa- 
city of the atmosphere for water. 

In addition to these, evidence derived from 
the following generalizations reached only of late 
by modern thought : 

The Correlation of Forces. 

Uniformity of Law. 

A Law of Development. 

As to a portion of the testimony there will be 
more or less questioning ; but as to the great mass, 
it will so clearly corroborate the story in Genesis, 
that its very completeness will render the reader 
incredulous at first, as when one has unexpectedly 
fallen upon some great vein of gold, he stands 
dazed and refuses to believe his own eyes. 

I am aware also of the peculiar parentage of 
some of these Witnesses, and do not wonder that 
the simple-hearted believer, who has in his own 
consciousness a Witness that no Science can give 
or comprehend, should start back and exclaim, 
" Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes." * 

My argument is not for such, but for that 

large class to whom Science is the only revelation. 

It would be outside of my plan to attempt to 

establish for others the truthfulness of my Wit- 

* I fear the Greeks even bringing gifts. 



14 INTRODUCTORY. 

d esses. Those who doubt it, will find excellent 
works specially on these subjects. If, however, 
for reasons satisfactory to themselves, they believe 
the Mosaic narrative to be true, I do not see how 
they can avoid accepting the results of Science, 
so far at least, as they are employed in this essay. 
In fact, the two corroborate each other. 

Should any one who reads this book find in 
it statements as to what Moses says, or does not 
say, which run counter to his belief, I beg him to 
see for himself whether they are sustained by the 
words of the writer. 

It has been apologetically said that this ac- 
count is phenomenal, and that of course its 
statements were not intended to be taken lite- 
rally. 

They are indeed "phenomenal," and so is the 
coming transit of Venus, so are the photographs 
of that " phenomenon," which Scientists will soon 
be studying with micrometer and microscope. 
" Phenomenal " ! indeed they are, and hence their 
realism, their photographic truth. 

I trust no one will so misunderstand me as to 
suppose I intend this assertion of positive literal- 
ism to embrace the whole Bible. No book more 
abounds in poetical imagery, none would lead to 
greater absurdities, if received without that com- 
mon sense which we apply to all others. 

It was the lack of this, and the substitution 
of the Commentators' notions derived from figura- 



INTRODUCTORY. 15 

tive portions of the Bible, and largely from false 
Science, for the simple words of Moses, that pro- 
duced the strange vagaries which have been 
charged to, and attacked or defended, as parts of 
the Biblical account ' of Creation. Where in the 
first two chapters of Genesis (or elsewhere) did 
Cosmas find authority for believing the world 
was modelled after the tabernacle ? Where learn 
that the earth is just twice as long as it is wide ? 
or that there are no antipodes? Yet defending 
these, and other equally groundless absurdities, 
is even now claimed to be the necessary result of 
receiving these chapters as literally true ! * 

The truth is, this account of creation, like the 
fifty-third of Isaiah, is utterly incomprehensible 
until the true explanation is found. The account 
of our Saviour's sufferings and triumphs seemed 
a strange and touching medley, that could never 
be aught else than poetical metaphors ; but when 
the prophecies became # history, it was seen to be 
the simple, touching story of the Man of Sorrows, 
so literal that it reads like the words of an eye- 
witness. Its strange and apparently contradic- 
tory statements meant just exactly what they said. 

Why add to the text our suppositions ? Why 

* In spite of all that has been said about the folly of 
believing the literal truth of the Mosaic account, no writer 
or speaker, as far as I know, has ever taken it to be literally 
true. Paradoxical as this seems, I believe an examination 
of writings upon Genesis will sustain this assertion. 



16 INTRODUCTORY. 

take anything from it ? We have no right to do 
so. Moreover, we thus only raise structures for 
its opponents to batter down. From one such to 
another, the defenders of this account have been 
driven, until it is no wonder that Scientists, for- 
getful of their own greater vagaries, sneer at the 
abortive efforts to make— not the words of Moses 
— but Commentators' explanations square with 
their (the Scientists') theories. 

It will be found, I think, that the only tenable 
ground is based upon the assumption that in this 
narrative we have the carefully worded and ar- 
ranged account of an Eye- Witness who could say 
of the things he relates, as did the Son of An- 
chises, but in an infinitely higher sense, " Quorum 
fui magna pars." * 

At the commencement of the study of this 
Narrative I assumed, as a proposition self-evident in 
itself, that there could be no modern discovery of 
any ante-human fact, whether an event, or a law, 
or an order of occurrence, that was not infinitely 
better known to God at the time he is said to have 
given this account to Moses, than it can be, to-day, 
to the wisest Scientist. 

Hence, if there should be any error found in 
it, either the Narrative is from a being of limited 
intelligence or the reader has misunderstood it. 
Clearly, then, the questions to which I ought first 
to apply myself were these : What does the Ac- 

* Of which I was a great part. 



INTROD [JCTOE Y. 1 7 

count say? and what meaning is intended to be 
conveyed 1 

In general there is but little difficulty in an- 
swering the first question.* Our common Ver- 
sion is in the main sufficiently exact, although I 
would in some things go closer to the original, 
as in the use of " expanse " for firmament, and in 
the translation of certain clauses in reference to 
the " days," as will be fully set forth hereafter. 

As to the second inquiry, " What meaning is 
intended to be conveyed % " I found most abun- 
dant room for study. I turned first to those 
writers who had made Genesis a special study, but 
did not find that harmony between their asser- 
tions and the facts of our world's history which 
the high claims of the Narrative appeared to de- 
mand. 

There remained the story itself. To it I 
turned, seeking in every direction for a solution of 
its difficulties, groping in the dark, feeling my way 
passage by passage, testing now this theory and 
now that, only to throw away one after another, as 
I came to insurmountable obstacles or flat contra- 
dictions between the proposed solution and what 
I knew to be facts. At last, after many days, 
flashed upon me, in all the sublimity of its divine 
simplicity, the key to the mystery. 

* There is a rich mine of precious metal yet to be worked 
by some Hebrew scholar who shall thoroughly search the 
original with all the light of physical science. 



18 introductory. 

Teie narrative means exactly what it says ; 
NO more, no less ; AND the order there given is 

THE EXACT ORDER IN WHICH OCCURRED THE EVENTS 
IT RECORDS. 

This I did not start with as an a priori princi- 
ple : it came to me after an exhaustive examination 
of everything else. Now, I can see that it is only 
a corollary of the proposition 1 started with, and 
it is wonderful to note how the two Records, seen 
through this, like the two pictures of a stereoscope, 
visibly glide into one and stand out from the page 
in their true perspective. Every line, although, in 
one when seen by itself, apparently useless, yet 
viewed with its other part, helps the marvelous 
truthfulness of the resultant view. 

PLAN OF THIS BOOK. 

In the first chapter, after showing the intrin- 
sic possibility and desirableness of a Revelation, I 
consider the different methods of establishing its 
authenticity. I then take up the Mosaic Account 
as claiming to be a revelation, and endeavor, by 
removing the accretions of- the ages, to narrow the 
discussion to the text. I inquire as to the pur- 
poses of the Author in making this particular Rev- 
elation, and examine the objections which have 
been made to the credibility of it, on scientific 
grounds. 

In the next chapter, after seeking to cultivate 
in the reader a sense of historical perspective, I 



INTRODUCTORY. 19 

collate the statements of Moses with those of the 
" Witnesses." 

This is followed by a disquisition upon the 
" days." 

In the fourth chapter is considered the Law of 
Development and its relation to this Narrative ; 
which is followed by a further comparison of Sci- 
ence and " Revelation." 

The Account found in the second chapter of 
Genesis is examined in the fifth of this. 

In Part III. is a full discussion of the work 
of the fourth day, inquiring as to the time and cause 
of the present inclination of the earth's axis. This 
inquiry is conducted solely as a physical question, 
in the light of astronomy and the geological de- 
velopments of organic life considered with strict 
reference to Uniformity of Law. The Inquiry 
reaches beyond our earth, and in " Cosmology," 
the Nebular Hypothesis is shown to account for a 
great variety of facts in the Solar System. 

Whatever doubt there may be as to the cor- 
rectness of my exposition of the work of the fourth 
day, and whether my positions in reference to it 
can be maintained or not, the reader will note 
that it is an independent portion of the argument 
for the truth of Genesis, and may be rejected 
without affecting the remainder. 

I have often regretted while studying this Nar- 
rative, that some one who was master of the subject 
and gifted with fitting command of language, had 



20 INTRODUCTORY. 

not given, in plain Anglo-Saxon, and with a brevi- 
ty approaching that of Moses,* an authoritative 
statement from a purely scientific stand-point, of 
the world's ante-human history, taking up the 
same topics. 

Will not Tyndall, or Spencer, or Huxley yet 
do it % It is difficult to conceive of a work of 
greater interest. 

In a second Part are discussed various matters 
more or less intimately connected with the account 
in Genesis. In this the literal truth of that his- 
tory is assumed as proved, and reference is made 
to it as in Geometry one refers to a previous pro- 
position. 

Probably, this intensity of belief will, at first, 
be shared by few, but the very clearness of my 
convictions, compels me to regard the acceptance 
of the same by others as only a question of time. 

As to difficulties outside of these two chapters, 
it does not fall within my plan to discuss them. 
It may be, that in the present state of knowledge, 
it is impossible to satisfactorily remove them ; 
but the lesson of the past should teach us to wait 
in patience, believing that He who could give the 
ante-human history of the world, can in due time 
vindicate his truth. 

I will add, as the result of some careful study, 
that this Narrative grows broader and deeper the 

* The Mosaic account, omitting repetitions and words of 
approval, contains only some three hundred and fifty words. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



21 



more it is exploredrShd trie more the full light of 
Science is turned upon it. Instead of a purling 
brook sweetly singing a "hymn of Creation" as it 
rolls over its pebbly bed, it expands to an ocean 
unfathomable and shoreless. It is not a history of 
our world merely, but an epitome of the Universe. 

I trust the time is not distant when the true 
importance of this Account, as the highest possible 
objective evidence of the reality of a Revelation, 
will be recognized, and a professorship of Biblical 
Cosmogony be an acknowledged necessity in every 
theological seminary. 

The light which shone in the face of Moses as 
he came down from the Mount, has always shone 
in this Narrative, but our eyes have been holden 
till now. Science, at last, has stripped off the 
bandages of ignorance and misapprehension, and 
revealed, not the vacuity too often fondly hoped 
for, but the insupportable glory of God the Crea- 
tor, the Jehovah-Elohim. 

In the conflict between truth and error now 
raging around us, if those who ought to lead in 
the battle, are to come down from their retreats in 
the " no-science" of the Bible, and, with a full and 
muscular belief which takes God's Book to be 
from the Fountain of all knowledge, assume the 
offensive, they must be shown that the first chapter 
of Genesis is the vital centre, the locus vitce, of 
all Science. They must be made to comprehend 
that God's two Records are indissolubly one. Both 



Yi2i INTRODUCTORY. 

are true or both are false. When this belief shall 
have penetrated the marrow of their being, " their 
trumpet will give no uncertain sound." 

" I am wear j of hearing those who claim to 
believe the Bible is from God, explain (?) away 
passage after passage, till the strongest words melt 
into a dim cloudiness, and there seems to be no- 
thing so certain, nothing so fixed that it may not 
be shifted to meet our logical exigencies. 

So thoroughly ingrained has this habit become 
that I fear the hardest thing to believe in this 
Essay will be, that the Author of G-enesis intended 
to say exactly what he has said, and to be respon- 
sible for just that and nothing more, and that the 
most objectionable thing will be the rigidness with 
which this principle is adhered to. 

To some good men the adherence to the very 
words of the text will, in their opinion, be the 
rejection, not of their beliefs, but of the account 
itself ! 

Will not the reader hold himself so far open to 
conviction as to test this method of exegesis, and 
judge of its correctness by the results ? 



PART I 



ADDRESSED TO SCIENTISTS WHO BELIEVE 



THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION A MYTH. 



"Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be 
assembled; who among them can show us former things? let them bring 
forth their witnesses that they may be justified ; or let them hear 
and say it is the truth."— Isaiah, xliii., ix. 



MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 



CHAPTEK I. 

OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION CONSIDERED. 

NO one possessed of ordinary intelligence can, 
without deep interest, read of the labors of 
Scientists in enlarging the bounds of knowledge, 
or fail to admire the ingenious experiments and 
patient perseverance, the clear vision and close 
logic, by which they have achieved so many tri- 
umphs. 

In my humble way, I sympathize with that 
spirit which dares to question Nature, deems her 
answers eternal verities, and fears no collision of 
truth with truth. 

Some of these men whose achievements exalt 
our ideas of the capabilities of our race, and whose 
honesty no one has a right to question, assure us 
that they find in their search after truth, evidence 
of no other God than an unknown and unknow- 
able First Cause, and that they know of no other 
Revelation than the phenomena of nature and the 
laws and relations existing between them. 



26 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

In the presence of such, it is becoming to 
speak of one's self with modesty ; yet, as to each 
his consciousness is higher than the authority of 
the greatest, I may say, that beyond nature I see, 
not merely a First Cause, but, judging as I must 
from the visible effects of his causation, an infi- 
nitely good, wise, and powerful Being. That he is 
infinitely powerful is implied necessarily in the 
assertion that he is the " First Cause." That he is 
good, I believe from the general character of crea- 
tion ; that he is wise, I am sure, since all -Scientists 
are most earnestly engaged in the study of his 
works, and would scout as the most preposterous 
absurdity the assumption that any man or set of 
men ever had, or ever could, fully grasp their 
wisdom. So logically impossible is the negative 
of this, that no man, I apprehend, ever lived who 
could satisfy himself with it. 

A large class, however, do deny that this 
Being has so far cared for man as to give him a 
written Revelation. This denial is- based partly 
upon what seems to them its intrinsic improba- 
bility, and partly, though far more positively, upon 
its alleged conflict of statement with what they 
know to be truths derived from the study of his 
works. 

The intrinsic improbability of a Revelation 
might well be asserted, if it could be shown to be 
needless. But I find in myself and in others a 
moral sense, imperfect, liable to be swayed by 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 27 

prejudice or by honest errors of judgment, as well 
as by a natural inclination to decide that to be 
right which accords with my wishes. I notice, 
too, that it is only after many ages of experience, 
and a wide field of observation, that a few minds 
of unusual acuteness are able to deduce from 
u Sociology " any tolerable rules of life, while they 
utterly fail to obtain any light on our relations to 
the Supreme Being, or on the questions that force 
themselves upon every thoughtful person as to 
man's condition beyond the grave. " If a man 
die shall he live again ? " is a question, to which 
" Sociology " can give no answer. 

A Revelation then is not needless. What a 
priori reason there is against it I am unable to 
discover. Certainly the great First Cause does not 
lack ability to give it. If he be " unconditioned," 
he is not bounded on any side by a " cannot,' 7 and 
the evident utility of such a manifestation of him- 
self would mark it as eminently in harmony with 
the generous care that has provided so liberally for 
the physical well-being of his creatures. 

The question then becomes one simply of evi- 
dence* Is there such a Revelation ? 

There is widely spread through the world a 
book which claims to have been given by God, 
and to speak with the weight of his authority. 

In his name, it commands and forbids, prom- 
ises and threatens. It professes also to give a 
limited, but so far as it goes, an accurate account 



28 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

of man's state after death, and the conditions of 
future well-being. 

It is at once admitted, that a book with such 
pretensions, needs to be well authenticated ; and 
it will be well to consider on what evidence we 
should grant its claims, for we are reasonable 
beings, and are no more at liberty to submit our- 
selves to such demands without sufficient reason, 
than to close our ears to argument in their behalf. 

Such a book might rest on miracles, or pro- 
phecy, or on a peculiar adaptation to the wants of 
the race. To many minds these would be abun- 
dantly sufficient, and such evidence is offered to all 
who choose to accept it. But there are those 
who deny miracles as not satisfactorily proved, or 
as in themselves impossible ; who regard prophecy 
as poetry, or as written after the events it pro- 
fesses to foretell ; and as for peculiar adaptation, 
that, being known only by personal experience, 
has no weight with those whose only gospel is the 
development that comes from unconsciously profit- 
ing by the experience of the race.* 

I can imagine another kind of evidence which 
seems free from all these objections, and impossi- 
ble to have been manufactured for the purpose, 
by any man .or set of men, and yet abundantly 
within the ability of the author of Genesis, if as 
claimed, that author be God. 

The Book might contain an account of events 

* Herbert Spencer, Morals and Moral Sentiments, p. 17. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 29 

which occurred in the history of the world before 
man appeared upon it. Nothing would be so 
unanswerable as this, providing we were able to 
discover in some way what did actually take place. 
Such evidence would grow in strength as the race 
increased in knowledge. No metaphysical argu- 
ment could weaken it, no question as to the relia- 
bility of testimony, no charge of deception, inten- 
tional or otherwise, could cast doubt upon it. 

Such an account being, in the nature of the 
case, beyond the power of the writer, would be 
an Ever-Present Miracle, which our own eyes 
could see, and which men of science, friends and 
foes, cou]d carefully and leisurely examine. It 
would be more unanswerable than a continuation 
of miracles from Apostolic times, to the present. 
For, raising the dead, healing the sick, or feeding 
the multitudes would from their very repetition 
cease to be miracles, and pass, like that greater act 
of omnipotence, the birth and growth of a human 
being, into the domain of law, and cease to be a 
wonder. 

Modern science has given us the knowledge 
of many very important facts in the ante-human 
history of the globe, with which we can readily 
compare any statement that professes to come 
from a supernatural source. 

It is evident from the nature of the case, that 
such a statement, if from the All-wise, must be 
capable of being fully comprehended only in pro- 



30 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

portion to the knowledge and mental development 
of its recipients. But as that is far from being ex- 
haustive, a proposition purporting to be from Him, 
should not be deemed false, because we fail to 
comprehend it, nor even if it should seem to us to 
be contradicted by known facts. One should be 
peculiarly cautious in coming to such a conclusion, 
when the matter in question is not the enuncia- 
tion of a general law, or universal truth, but sim- 
ply a statement of phenomena. There is nothing 
so unsafe to contradict, so intolerably obstinate, as 
an actual occurrence. 

Newton was led to declare Huyghens' law of 
double refraction false, and the achromatic tele- 
scope an impossibility, because they appeared to 
him to violate .well-established laws. The lesson 
to us from such mistakes, is to approach all ques- 
tions of truth with reverent docility, ready to re- 
ceive and firmly hold all facts, while our theories 
and preconceived notions should be bound to us 
by threads of gossamer. 

This book, with its high pretensions, is before 
us. It is admitted on every side to have been in 
existence many centuries, and to have been 
handed down, as a precious heirloom, from the 
remote ancestors of a small nation on the eastern 
shores of the Mediterranean, never in the least dis- 
tinguished for scientific attainments. 

Is there in it such a statement of ante-human 
events as the argument justly demands? It 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 31 

should be so profound as to be beyond the possi- 
bility of guesswork, and should cover so many 
points that chance coincidence becomes impossible. 
It may be incomprehensible, must have been so in 
the earlier ages of the world, may be so still in a 
greater or less degree, but it must contain no false- 
hood as that " the world rests upon the back of an 
elephant and that upon a tortoise." 

Turning to the opening chapter of this Book, 
I there find what purports to be just such a state- 
ment as the argument demands. Beginning at 
" the beginning," it gives the early history of the 
world, not in mystic phrases or Delphian utter- 
ances, but in the simplest words, in the most un- 
ambiguous sentences. Here then is a crucial test. 
This account does or does not agree with the 
facts in the world's history brought to light by 
Science. 

I accept the issue. 

But before attempting to collate the account 
in Genesis with that found in the records of the 
rocks and sky, permit me to consider some pre- 
liminary matters and to clear the narrative from 
things foreign to it I would throw aside, save so 
far as they agree with the very words of Moses 
(verbis ipsissimis), all statements of Commenta- 
tors, Jewish or Christian, or of Scientists, ancient 
or modern, as to what he does or does not say. 
They spoke in good faith according to the light 
they had ; as such in modesty I receive their 



32 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

words, and give them thoughtful consideration, 
nothing more. JSTo one ought to be influenced by 
mere authority.* 

Since truth or falsehood is entirely independent 
of our acceptance, a statement as to who does or 
does not receive it, carries little weight to the earn- 
est inquirer. Falsehood has had authority on its 
side more often than truth. Nearly all the great 
names in Science taught, within the memory of 
many of us, that heat was a fluid issuing from hot 
bodies, and light consisted of corpuscles shot out 
from the sun. The weight of astronomical author- 
ity, at one time, was in favor of cycles and epicy- 
cles and complicated machinery for explaining the 
movements of the heavenly bodies. The centuries 
are strewed with the debris of Scientific Theories. 

But no one would think it just to reject the 
results of modern science, because of the errors 
and failures of the past, or to sneer at the efforts 
of Scientists to make their theories square with one 
another, or with the facts of nature. They would 
exclaim against such injustice, and demand that 
the truth or falsehood of what they deem a law of 

* Prof. Tyndall, in his article on Science and Religion, 
says : " In our day, the best informed clergymen are pre- 
pared to admit that our views of the universe and its Author 
are not impaired but improved by the abandonment of the 
Mosaic Account of Creation." 

I more than doubt the correctness of his broad assertion, 
but if true it is entirely irrelevant, save as an interesting 
historical fact. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 33 

nature be decided, not by what their predecessors 
may have said, but by its more or less perfect 
adaptation to, and harmony with, the facts con- 
cerned. 

In like manner, when the question is as to the 
truth of the Mosaic Account, common justice de- 
mands that it shall not be condemned for theories 
or explanations that have proved false, nor be- 
cause commentators have not agreed among them- 
selves, but that it shall be judged by its own 
words, verbis ijpsissimis. And as the Scientist 
justly requires us to accept as true his enuncia- 
tion of a law if it harmonizes with the facts, we 
demand also the acceptance of the Mosaic Account 
if it harmonizes with the record written in the 
rocks and sky. 

I am thus particular to confine the discussion 
to the text, because much passes current as the 
teaching of Moses, among the rejecters, and, to 
some extent yet, among the believers in his ac- 
count, that does not belong to him. 

During the ages there has gathered around his 
history a mass of theories, explanations and com- 
mentaries, outgrowths for the most part of the 
Science of those days, for which he is in no degree 
responsible. Their truth or falsehood does not 
affect the matter. They may be legitimate tar- 
gets for the logic and ridicule of men better in- 
formed. It is the text, pure and simple, that 
claims to be a Eevelation from God. 
2* 



34 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

The Book of Nature as far as its pages have 
been read, pot surmised or guessed at, I accept as 
truth and willingly rest the case upon it. This I 
do the more readily, since now, for the first 

TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR RACE, HAS SCIENCE 
COME UP SO NEARLY ABREAST WITH THIS NARRATIVE 
AS TO PERMIT COMPARISON. 

To the last few decades are due the demonstra- 
tion (almost perfect) of the Nebular Hypothesis, 
the great law of the Correlation and Conservation 
of Forces, a tolerably complete knowledge of the 
nature of light, the invention of the Spectroscope, 
the collation and translation of the discoveries of 
Geologists, and eminently the knowledge of the 
Glacial Epoch. To this period is also due a great 
advance in Physical Geography, the discovery of a 
Law of Development, and of Uniformity of Law, 
and proof of the unity of physical constitution of 
the Stellar Universe and the Solar System. 

I shall endeavor to show the harmony of these 
with the Mosaic Narrative, and more than this, 
that the Author of that wonderful Account knew 
of these discoveries, and that its rejection necessi- 
tates theirs. 

By the Author of this Narrative I mean the 
person that furnished Moses with the facts which 
he, as the intelligent instrument, placed on record. 
As to how the story was made known to him, I 
have nothing to offer. It lies outside of this 
discussion. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 35 

A cursory reading of the first Chapter of Gen- 
esis, waiving for the moment the question of its 
truthfulness, shows it to differ from other works 
in Natural Science, in this. It has no theories to 
support, offers no explanations, formulates no law. 
The facts are related, but there is no attempt 
to coordinate them with each other, or with 
other facts. In this it resembles a series of photo- 
graphs. 

The more obvious purposeof the Author seems 
to have been the removal of all excuse for idolatry 
or other form of polytheism, which at that time 
manifested itself in the worship of Sun, Moon and 
Stars, of Earth and Sea, of vegetables, and of almost 
all organic life. This was done by representing 
God (Elohim and the Jehovah Elohim) as crea- 
tor of all things, and, with special emphasis and 
repetition, as the maker of Sun, Moon, and Stars, 
the disposer and appointer of these, the princi- 
pal objects of idolatrous worship. To impress this 
truth upon the race, the Author inculcated the 
observance of a seventh day of cessation from 
labor, as a memorial of God's creatorship and a 
perpetual protest against other gods.* So im- 
portant, in his opinion, was this arrangement bj 

* A disquisition upon the advantages of the Sabbath 
would be out of place here. I wish only to call attention to 
the perfect adaptation of the means to the end in view. If 
this day had been observed for the reason assigned in the 
fourth Commandment, idolatry, whether ancient fetichism or 
more modern pantheism, had simply been impossible. 



OO MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

seven days, that he compressed fifteen distinct cre- 
ative acts into six creative periods.* 

Another purpose underlies this Account, not 
so obvious, but as it seems to me, none the less 
real ; it was to authenticate this revelation to 
future ages, "when men should run to and fro, 
and knowledge be increased." Consequently, the 
Author displays a mastership of his subject, a 
wealth of knowledge, altogether superfluous, if the 
object previously mentioned was the only one in 
view. 

Whether these purposes will appear of suffi- 
cient dignity to have a place in a divine revelation 

* List of Divine formative acts in both chapters before the 
close of the sixth day. 

Chapter I. v. 1. God created heaven and earth, 
imparted motion, 
made light, 
divided light from darkness (made 

day and night), 
made the " firmament." 
made the dry land appear, 
made the earth bring forth grasses, 

herbs and fruit-trees, 
made the seasons, 
made the fish and fowl, 
made cattle, beasts, etc. 
made man. 
made the garden. 

made to grow all trees good for 
food and pleasant to see. 
v. 19. " made every beast of the field and 

every fowl of the air. 
v. 22. " made Woman. 



tt 


v. 2. 


u 


v. 3. 


tt 


v. 4. 


tc 


v. 7. 


tc 


v. 9. 


u 


v. 11. 


tt 


v. 14. 


tt 


v. 21. 


tt 


v. 25. 


tt 


v. 27. 


Chapter II. v. 8. 


tt 


v. 9. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 37 

of a matter so great as the creation of a world, 
will much depend upon our ideas of man's place 
in the scale of being. But this is a question only 
as to the good sense and taste of the Author, and 
does not affect the truth of his assertions. 

Nor is it a just ground of objection that his 
statements are not made in scientific language 
and with scientific exactness, for the latter is 
not true, as I shall hereafter show, and as for the 
former, the laws and terminology of Astronomy, 
Geology and other sciences were then unknown. 
It would have been necessary to create scientific 
terms for this special purpose, and from that time 
to the present century they would have been 
unintelligible. 

Is it indeed certain that an absolutely correct 
terminology would even now be understood ? 
Has all knowledge been so thoroughly explored 
that nothing remains to be added to, or taken from, 
the present laws and nomenclature ? Were New- 
ton to take up a modern Scientific book, he would 
find much to perplex him, old terms used in new 
senses, and new ones that would convey no mean- 
ing. Should the Scientist of to-day revisit the 
world a century hence, is it probable that his 
experience would differ from that of the great 
English Philosopher ? 

Not only was a statement of phenomena the 
only method of imparting information on these 



38 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

subjects possible under the circumstances, but it 
was the best method conceivable under any. 

The value of an accurate statement, photo- 
graphing, as it were, the phenomena of nature, can 
never be fully known by finite minds. Facts 
whose scientific value has apparently been ex- 
hausted, like the rejected dross of ancient mines, 
may, in the crucible of modern analysis, prove 
rich in precious metal. Others of apparently tri- 
fling importance may, under different subjective 
conditions, be " the very article of a standing or 
falling" theory. 

The apparently accidental noting of a star one 
night many years ago, and its appearance in an- 
other position a few nights after, a change at- 
tributed by the conscientious astronomer to some 
error of eye or hand, but both of whose places he 
fortunately put upon record, with an interrogation 
marking his doubts and the probably valueless 
character of such an observation, lay dormant 
many years. Its value, had he suspected it, 
would have been more to him than all the labors 
of his life, but would have deprived Le Yerrier of 
the glory of his discovery. Not till the world 
had rung with the wonder of that marvel of ana- 
lysis, and astronomers had set to work to discover 
whether Le Yerrier's calculated elements were 
true, did the pregnant meaning of that " trivial 
fact" become known. It might have revealed 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 39 

the planet's existence years before, but even now 
it fixed the true elements of its path. 

Accurate descriptions of phenomena are the 
meat and drink for which every student of nature 
hungers and thirsts. It is solely for these, that 
governments fit out expeditions to observe eclipses 
and transits, and to dredge the ocean bottom. 

In the Mosaic Narrative, facts are related in 
the ordinary language of life, which all men can 
understand, and it is no proof of their untruthful- 
ness that they carry to each reader a meaning 
larger and richer in proportion to his knowledge 
and capacity. On the contrary, this is a charac- 
teristic mark of any truthful statement of phe- 
nomena. 

It is easy for a child to understand that the 
eclipses of Jupiter's Moons occur sometimes eight 
minutes sooner, and sometimes eight minutes later 
than by previous calculation they ought, a fact to 
him curious perhaps, but of no great consequence. 
To the philosopher, however, that fact made 
known the velocity of light, from which was ob- 
tained the measurement of its waves, on which is 
built up the Science of Optics. So, too, a child 
can understand that the planet Uranus rises some- 
times too soon, and sometimes too late, a matter 
to him of small importance. But this- same fact 
told Le Verrier of a planet outside of Uranus. 

Such simple statements, pregnant with truth, 
abound in this account. It was indeed, " not 



40 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION. 

intended to teach us science," any more than the 
apparent irregularities of Jupiter's Moons to teach 
Optics, or the perturbations of Uranus to teach 
Astronomy ; but, if true, it is more than Science, it 
is the material of which Science is made. 

There has grown up in many minds the belief 
that, according to Moses, the world and its con- 
tents were formed in six ordinary days. It is on 
this supposed statement that most of the argu- 
ments against the truth of Genesis have been based. 
It has been assumed that such was the true mean- 
ing of the Narrative, and then shown by admitted 
Geological evidence, that the world and unnum- 
bered races of animals and vegetables have existed 
for countless ages; and' that a process of slow 
development has been going on for millions of 
years. The Bible, we are told, may be the work 
of man, and therefore may not be true, but 
the Geological record is independent of man, and 
therefore cannot be false; hence, in an issue of 
fact, we must decide against the former. The con- 
clusion is unavoidable if we admit the premises. 

But did the Author intend us to understand 
that the world and its contents were created in six 
ordinary days ? Or, if you please, did he say or 
desire us to believe that, from " the beginning " 
to the close of creation only one hundred and 
forty-four hours elapsed ? 

I answer emphatically, No. 

But the reasons for a negative answer cannot 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 41 

well be given, so interwoven are they with the 
Narrative, until that has been considered. The 
reader is requested therefore to wait until we have 
gone together through it, when the duration of 
the Mosaic Days will be again taken up, and, as 
far as in me lies, exhaustively discussed. I hope 
then to show that the literal truth of this Narra- 
tive harmonizes perfectly with the existence of 
the immeasurable epochs of Geology. 

I may, however, now properly call attention to 
the remarkable circumstance that, although so 
much has been said and written on the assumption 
that this world and its contents were made ac- 
cording to Genesis in six days, there is no such 
statement to be found in these two chapters. If 
I am wrong, it will be easy to point out the verse 
in which it is. I am unable to find it. 

The only allusion to the duration of the crea- 
tion, is in the fourth verse of the second chapter, 
where we read " in the day the Lord God created 
the heavens and the earth " — one day, not six days. 

Nor is it said that any creative act occurred 
on any of the days. It may be implied, perhaps 
it is, but certainly it is not so said. The wording 
is very peculiar, and like everything else in these 
chapters shows design. Remember, the question 
is not what we think or infer the writer intended 
to say, but what did he actually say ? On this I 
shall have more to offer hereafter. The other parts 
of the Bible are outside of our present discussion, 



42 MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATIONS 

yet as showing the mode of speaking, the tcsus 
loquendi, I add that although the wisdom, good- 
ness, and power of God as manifested in Creation 
are often alluded to in other parts of it, yet none of 
its many writers speak of its brevity. On the con- 
trary, there seems to be a. purpose to break up the 
ordinary notions of time as applied to God's works. 
"We are told " a thousand years are as one day, 
and one day as a thousand years." 

I have not forgotten the text so often quoted 
to prove the instantaneous performance of God's 
commands, but I can see in it only obedience, and 
no reference to the time employed. " He spake 
and it was done." Certainly He spake, and it was 
done, but I do not acknowledge the right to in- 
terpolate any modifying word, even though that 
word be " immediately." Shall we never have 
done adding our beliefs to the Word % 

"Firmament," something solid. This word 
offers no difficulty, since it is admitted on all sides 
to be an improper rendering, to suit the Science 
of Ptolemy's day. The Translators, unable to 
comprehend the Science of the Bible, forced it to 
say what seemed to them in harmony with the 
Jaws of nature. They could not believe in a mere 
expanse or open space — it was contrary to all their 
Science — and therefore they translated "expanse" 
by " a firmament," something solid to hold up 
the sky I 

Having disposed of the objections urged against 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 43 

this ^Narrative, on account of its phenomenal char- 
acter, and the absence of scientific forms and 
terms, and passing by for the present the supposed 
assertion of the brevity of creation, we turn now 
to examine the Book. 

In the spirit of a student anxious only to dis- 
cover the truth, and in the full assurance that all 
truths are harmonious, I shall seek to learn what 
the Narrative says, and what is almost equally 
important in maintaining its Divine origin, to 
point out certain things attributed to it, but which 
it does not say. At present I shall speak almost 
wholly of the latter. 

I find that it mentions very briefly, in a certain 
order of occurrence, some of the most important 
events in our world's history, but that it is silent 
as to everything else, resembling that kind of 
history styled Annals. It opens with a statement 
of God's universal creatorship. It then commences 
a series of details, beginning with the primordial 
condition of the earth, and ending with the Crea- 
tion of Man. Passing this by, let us now see 
what it does not say. 

It says nothing as to the previous existence or 
non-existence of older orders of beings, such as 
the animals and vegetables of the Paleozoic Age, 
nor of those upheavals and depressions which 
have left their record in the contorted strata. 
As to the latter, there can be no difference of 
opinion ; the text certainly says nothing of them. 



44: MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF CREATION". 

But as to those plants and animals of previous 
ages, which we now know were extinct when 
man appeared, Moses does not speak, for he makes 
mention of "grasses, herbs, and fruit trees.'' 
They did not exist in the earlier periods. The 
peculiar vegetation which marks the dawn of 
organic life, shows only plants of the lowest orders, 
as Algae, Ferns, etc. 

These can by no possible classification be in- 
cluded among the plants mentioned above, which, 
as Geology tells us, appeared long afterward, long 
even as Geology counts time. 

So too in regard to animal life ; for ages after 
ages, were found in all the vast round of our globe, 
in the ancient waters of its seas, or sporting on 
their shores, only mollusks, radiates, and articu- 
lates. Not a vertebrate, much less a mammal, 
yet lived. Such a fauna does not correspond with 
that described as "cattle, creeping things, and 
beasts." The latter fauna harmonizes perfectly 
with the animals of to-day, among which we find 
not merely mammalia preeminent, but also an 
abundance of species of all the lower orders. 
Moreover, the text, with its usual careful wording 
says, " the moving creature that hath life," and 
" every living creature," i. e. not the extinct, but 
the present living species. 

On the other hand, the Account gives no 
ground for the assertion that these extinct species 
came into existence independently. It merely 
does not speak of them at all. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 45 

The Account taEen thus narrowly and literally 
harmonizes with the facts of Geology. It is only 
by extending it beyond its own words, a very un- 
due liberty as it seems to me, that we find a diffi- 
culty in the fact that according to the fossils, not 
one of the " grasses, herbs, and fruit trees " pre- 
ceded animal life. 

Such a conflict, however, is of our own pro- 
duction, for the Account carefully limits the kinds 
of plants which it affirms preceded the animals of 
the fifth and sixth periods, and the evidence of 
the fossils corroborates its assertion. 

Although it may, at first, appear that all crea- 
tures living during the fifth and sixth periods, 
were, according to Genesis, formed during those 
periods, yet on a more careful examination it will be 
found that there is nothing in the text to forbid 
the belief (should there be grounds for it) that 
species of previous creations were still in existence, 
nor that some may have come down to the present 
day. The Account neither affirms nor denies.* 

* I leave it for specialists to say whether life of any kind 
passed over the great convulsions that marked the close of 
the Paleozoic Age or survived from the Mesozoic into the 
Cenozoic, or lived through the cold of the glaciers. In gen- 
eral, life was destroyed, although perhaps some Protozoans, 
and possibly a mollusk or two, may have escaped through 
them all. It is doubtful whether any living species is iden- 
tical with the fossils of a period earlier than the Eocene. 
" Of living fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals," none can be 
traced back as far as the Tertiary, the yesterday of Geology. 
" All the fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals of the Tertiary 
are extinct species." (Dana's Manual, p. 518.) 



46 MOSAIC ^COUNT OF CKEATION. 

The first twlS^hapters of Genesis do not tell 
us how long it is since Adam was created, whether 
it is 6,000 or 6,000,000 years. They do not pro- 
fess to give any information about it. Whether 
we can justly deduce this period from some other 
portion of the Bible, is not a question that con- 
cerns this discussion. If every word of that Book 
save the Mosaic Narrative were dropped out of 
existence, the truth or falsehood of the latter 
would not be affected. It merely places man's 
creation upon the last of the six great epochs, as 
the crowning glory of the whole. 

The text does not say, that no species of plants 
or animals were created after Adam and before 
the " rest " of the seventh day. On the contrary, 
it appears to be clearly intimated in the next Chap- 
ter, that "all kinds of trees pleasant to the sight 
and good for food " were made after the creation of 
man, as well as all kinds of animals for him to name. 

In conclusion. 

It is just an,d logical when examining into the 
truth of statements contained in any document, 
to see exactly, what it says, and consequently it is 
unjust and illogical to condemn it for the glosses 
and explanations that may have gathered about it. 

The Mosaic Narrative does not tell us the 
duration of the process of creation, except so far 
as to let us know it was not instantaneous, since 
it occupied a time in which were " six days " of 
completion and approval. 



OBJECTIONS TO A REVELATION. 47 

It does not affirm that each act was instanta- 
neous, as when, e. g., God said, " Let the dry land 
appear," that at once, like the palaces in stories 
of Eastern Magic, it rose from the bottom of the 
sea. 

It does not say how much or how little time 
elapsed between the events mentioned, as from 
the Creation of Light, to its separation from 
darkness. 

It does not speak of the creation of Algae, 
Ferns, and the early Flora. 

It does not deny the existence of species com- 
ing down from more remote epochs. 

It does not deny the creation of plants subse- 
quent to the third day. 

It does not deny that animal life began long 
before living species of fishes, fowl, beasts, creep- 
ing things, and cattle. 

It does not deny the possibility of some spe- 
cies having survived from the dawn of organic 
life. 

It does not say how many years have elapsed 
since Adam's creation. 

Of most of these matters, it says nothing at 
all. Its silence on any question, cannot justly be 
interpreted as affirming or denying. Anything 
outside of its own words, does not attach respon- 
sibility to it. 

The fact that this Account is not clothed 
in scientific language, is not only no argument 



4:8 mosaic; account of creation. 

against its truthfulness, but so far as it goes, 
decidedly the opposite, since a " phenomenal " 
statement, a series of " logographs," * is immea- 
surably richer in meaning and more fruitful in 
results than any other method of imparting infor- 
mation of which we can conceive. 

If these conclusions are correct, then it readily 
follows that any argument based upon the oppo- 
site assumption is wholly irrelevant. 

This ruling will throw out of Court nearly all 
the testimony brought against the truth of this 
most remarkable document. 

* " Logograph," a word bearing the same relation to a 
" description " that a photograph bears to a pencil sketch. 
No word in our language conveys the intense literalism of 
this Narrative 



CHAPTER II. 

THE UNITY OF GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 
TESTIMONY OF NEW WITNESSES. 

" There is no mode of establishing the validity of any 
belief except that of 'showing its entire congruity with 
other beliefs."— Herbert Spencer. 

EVERY one that has watched the operation 
of his own mind, has noticed that his judg- 
ments are affected by impressions received • early 
in life, and this too, in spite of the more cor- 
rect information of later years. In childhood, 
we believed all the heavenly bodies were equally 
distant from us, and now, notwithstanding our 
present knowledge, how many of us can see that 
the stars are ten thousand times more remote than 
the moon ? 

When we have repeatedly read of events 
placed in close proximity upon the printed page, 
we are very apt to think of them as actually 
occurring at correspondingly short intervals. Im- 
pressions thus formed influence us long after we 
have learned better. It is absolutely necessary 
to get rid of them and to cultivate a sense of true 



50 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

historical perspective, if we would attain any cor- 
rect comprehension of the past. 

Were I to tell a child that Alexander, Han- 
nibal, and Caesar are the greatest generals the 
world has seen, he would think of them as liv- 
ing at one time. If he is logically inclined, he 
will maintain that they are now living, or that 
my assertion is false, for did I not say, " are the 
greatest generals " ? 

But as his knowledge of language increases, he 
will admit that my statement is not inconsistent 
with the fact that they are all dead ; and as his 
acquaintance with the history of the past expands, 
so will their respective epochs appear to separate, 
till in after years each takes his proper place in 
the long line of events. 

* In writing a very brief epitome of history, I 
might say : " America was discovered by the 
Spaniards, by whom the most of South America 
and a large part of North America were settled. 
The English made settlements at Jamestown and 
Plymouth. The colonists made war on the mother 
country and obtained their independence. They 
had slaves before and after this, which resulted 
in another war, after which there were no more 
slaves." 

In this little narrative there are between the 
clauses great intervals of time, in which many 
interesting and important events occurred. Nor is 
this any impugnment of its truth. It makes no 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 51 

pretence of telling anything more than the words 
say. It states such facts in the order of their 
succession as seemed to the writer best to be 
recorded, and neither affirms nor denies anything 
in regard to what may, or may not, have taken 
place besides, and it would be strange logic that 
should infer its falsehood from such silence. 

Such is exactly the character of the Mosaic 
Narrative, and to properly understand it, one must 
divest himself of early impressions as to the im- 
mediate and rapid succession of the events there 
recorded, at least so far as to leave his mind un- 
biased by their juxtaposition upon the page, or 
by previous theories.* 

Those who have either cut themselves loose 
from all early " theological " training, or who never 
were imbued with the traditional belief in regard 
to the close succession of events mentioned in the 
Mosaic Account, may be at a loss to understand 
the difficulty others experience in stereoscoping 
the past. Reason here must be aided by a posi- 
tive effort of will. Perhaps one more illustration 
may aid the latter in the attempt. 

Suppose the scenes of earth ended, and that 
some spirit in the far-off eternity should relate to 
a new-comer the story of our world. 

He might, in brief phrase, tell of creation and 

* For an exhaustive examination of texts succeeding 
each other without notice of interval of time where we know 
from statements elsewhere there was such interval, see 
Genesis and Geology, by Denis Crofton, B.A. 



52 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

man's trial and fall ; of the Serpent and the mys- 
terious promise, "And I will put enmity between 
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and 
her seed ; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt 
bruise his heel." Then he might add, "and it 
was so, the Seed of the Woman did bruise the 
head of the Serpent, did overcome him, and 
myriads now in this abode are the trophies of his 
victory." 

The listener, ignorant of the thousands of years 
of wretchedness and misery while the Serpent 
seemed triumphant, might most naturally infer 
that the triumph followed close upon the declara- 
tion. But, for us, it is easy to see the ages that 
elapsed between the promise and the time when 
it could be said, " and it was so." 

The history of creation occupies only the first 
chapter of Genesis. It is followed, in the second 
chapter, by a brief summary of the whole work, 
and a more special account of the occurrences of 
the sixth period. 

I propose to confine myself, at least for the 
present, to the first and apparently more systematic 
statement. 

Any difficulties outside of this may or may 
not prove formidable, but their discussion has no 
bearing upon the truth or falsehood of this narra- 
tive. 

The Bible abounds in the rich poetical imagery 
of the East ; but this first chapter is the most 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 53 

literal prose, a record of hard, dry facts. In mathe- 
matics one speaks of roots and powers, in natural 
history one reads of kingdoms, classes, and orders, 
bat this narrative has an absolute realism that is 
wonderful. Such at least it appears to me, and as 
such I propose to treat it in this discussion. 

The account opens with the all-embracing 
declaration : " In the beginning God created the 
heavens and the earth." 

It assumes the existence of a First Cause,** whom 

* It is interesting to note that Scientists who have prided 
themselves upon their superiority to all claims of supernatu- 
ral influences and revelation, have arrived by their own road 
at the first verse in the Bible. Prof. Tyndall, in the open- 
ing Address to the British Association, is reported to have 
summed up in the following words : 

" In fact, the whole process of evolution is the manifesta- 
tion of a Power absolutely inscrutable to the intellect of man. 
As little in our day as in the days of Job can man by 
searching find this Power out. . . . There is, you will 
observe, no very rank materialism here." 

What is this but a scientific paraphrase of " God created 
the heaven and the earth. " The inscrutability of this Power 
was as well known to Moses and to Job as to Prof. Tyndall 
or Mr. Spencer. 

The identity of the two propositions is the more striking 
when it is remembered that Moses wrote, " In the beginning 
Elohim created the heaven and the earth," and Elohim 
means "powers." Would the modern philosophers have 
Buffered any loss if they had taken the word of Moses and 
Job, that it was an Inscrutable Power that " evolved " the 
heavens and the earth ? 

For the further consideration of this word, Elohim, and 
the personality of the narrative, see Part IL 



54 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

it styles God, an assumption which it does not 
base upon any argument, but appeals to each 
reader, as to a matter within the view of his own 
consciousness as absolutely as the existence of the 
material world. There I leave it, only adding that 
matter, or mind, or both, must be eternal, and that 
I find it logically easier to conceive of one self- 
existent and eternal Being than of two or more.* 

There is at this day prevalent among certain 
writers a peculiar state of mind characterized by 
an instinctive aversion to the use of the word 
" God," which for lack of a better name may be 
styled Theophobia. It manifests itself in the use 
of some impersonal word, as Law, or Force, or Evo- 
lution, or Power, or " Dynamis," and if compelled 
to use the name of Deity, spells it "god." 

Moses has no such theophobia. He delights 
to place the name of God in the front of every 
sentence. 

His is a personal God, who not merely enacts 
laws for the universe, but executes them — not 
merely sets the machinery in motion, but, as it 
were, stands by and notes its working, and as his 
plans develop, pronounces each completed stage of 
progress " good," and when he has crowned all 

* I use the term " self-existent " for lack of a better. 
That which exists without a beginning is existent, not self- 
existent, since the latter implies self-causation, i. e. self ante- 
cedent to itself ! 

I know of but one absolutely logical expression for such 
a Being : " I Am." " ' I Am ' hath sent thee." 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 55 

with the creation of man, styles it all "very 
good." 

Science cannot go back to the opening of this 
chapter. It takes cognizance only of what has 
occurred since that " beginning." Yet it has dis- 
covered many indications that the present order is 
not eternal. The transmission of light, the retarda- 
tion, and breaking into fragments of comets, indi- 
cate an interstellar medium which is slowly bring- 
ing the planets to rest. The friction of the tidal 
wave, given time enough, will stop the diurnal 
motion of the earth. The sun is slowly losing its 
heat. Now, however small these retarding forces, 
or however small the loss of heat, yet, if they had 
operated " from eternity," it is a proposition easily 
demonstrated that the momentum of the earth, 
and the heat of the sun, would have been exhausted 

Science then clearly demands a " beginning." 
Starting from that, many wise men have sought 
to expound the mystery of the universe, or at least 
to show how our own system might have been 
developed under the influence of forces still active. 

Assuming the existence of matter and motion 
as the result of attraction, without attempting to 
account for either, Laplace some fifty years ago 
proposed the well-known Nebular Hypothesis, 
which by its accordance with the facts of our solar 
system-, has passed from the domain of theory, 
almost if not wholly into that of law — a result 



56 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

which has been confirmed by the discoveries made 
in the last few years by aid of the spectroscope. 

The central fact of this theory is, that the 
solar system, and of course the earth as a portion 
of it, in its primordial condition, was a shapeless, 
empty, dark collection of highly attenuated mat- 
ter, or in modern technical phrase, a nebulous mass. 

Nearly four thousand years ago, Moses, giving 
an account of our earth, describes its condition 
prior to the commencement of motion, in language 
almost identical. He says " the earth was with- 
out form and void, and darkness was upon the 
face of the deep." * It was not the firm, solid 
globe which we now regard as the ideal of stabil- 
ity, but a something mobile, something that flows, 
" waters " in the language of those days, a " fluid " 
in the nicer definition of the present.f 

* The received version " without form and void," was in 
the main acquiesced in until the exigences of certain theo- 
ries required a modification of meaning. (See Lange, Genesis, 
p. 163.) After a careful reading of the argument pro and 
con, I still adhere to the old version. But in every render- 
ing there is the same idea of organic emptiness, and of 
matter in a state of shapeless disorder. 

Did, however, this phrase stand alone, I should not found 
an argument upon it, but the evidence is cumulative. It is 
not the coincidence of one or two expressions, but the har- 
mony that runs through the whole narrative. 

f I doubt if any language, until a comparatively recent 
period, could express the nice distinction between "fluid" 
and " waters." 

Indeed, the Hebrew word is radically much more closely 
allied to " fluid," being derived from a root that signifies 
" to flow." * 



THE NEW WITNESSES. Di 

Is it possible even now, to describe in more 
appropriate words, the nebulous condition before 
the mass was vivified with motion? "Without 
form," shapeless, empty, dark, not solid, but flow- 
ing, il waters," or fluid. 

Of forces we know nothing, but use the word 
as a convenient name for that which causes or 
opposes motion. Of their origin Laplace's theory 
takes no account, nor can the Science of to-day do 
more than to refer it to the same First Cause as 
matter. 

And in this conclusion, Science accords with 
the statement in Genesis ; God, " the First Cause," 
is the first mover. " The Spirit of God moved 
upon the face of the waters," i. e. the fluid mass. 

To this, brief assertion, Science can add no- 
thing. This region also lies beyond its domain. 

But from its vast store-house of facts it has 
drawn this generalization which corroborates the 
idea that appears to underlie these first two verses, 
namely, that the primordial order of existence is 
mind, matter, and force, and that matter, modified 
by force, is that w T hich is the present physical 
universe. 

" Many of the most eminent plrysicists of the 
present time see in the cosmos, besides mind, only 
two essentially distinct beings (sic), namely, mat- 
ter and energy, and regard all matter as one, and 
all energy as one, and refer the qualities of sub- 
stances to the affections of the one substratum, 
3* 



58 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

modified by the varying play of forces." (Page 
102, New Chemistry, Prof. Cooke.) 

Such a generalization implies, or rather re- 
quires that matter existed before the application 
of force could develop anything, and that there 
was for them a unity of origin. This corrobora- 
tion is the more interesting from the utter uncon- 
sciousness of Science that it exists. 

Prof. Tayler Lewis says the primary mean- 
ing of the word translated " moved upon," is to 
flutter (regular pulsatile motion), and the verb 
being in the Piel conjugation makes the inward 
sense of the throbbing more intensive. The 
reader will here note a singular harmony with the 
modern scientific belief that atomic vibrations lie 
close to the foundations of all the forces of nature. 

Furnished now with matter which has been en- 
dowed with forces, Science, like the old Geometer, 
can move the world. Thanks to the newly discov- 
ered law of the correlation of forces, philosophers 
can now tell with absolute certainty what was the 
first visible effect that followed motion. As the 
telescope carries us out into the depths of space, so 
this last and grandest generalization takes us back 
into eternity, enables us to note the very founda- 
tions of our world, to trace the atoms in their paths, 
and, as they dash together, to see the darkness lit 
up by the new-born light. It tells us that heat 
and then light were the results of these primordial 
movements. The hitherto " formless, empty, dark " 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 59 

mass became self-luminous, and the surrounding 
ether joyously trembling, bore in eager haste the 
news to neighboring systems that another was 
added to their number, and then, " the morning 
stars sang together, and all the sons of God 
shouted for joy." 

Till within a generation, Science in her wild- 
est dreams could not have told us this. But 
Moses put upon record, nearly four thousand 
years ago, as the next step after the impartation 
of motion in this making a world, " God said, Let 
ther«e be light, and there was light." 

JSTote the coincidence. This third step placed 
upon record so many thousand years ago, is pre- 
cisely that called for by the Nebular Hypothesis 
and the Correlation of Forces. 

According to Dr. Adam Clark, the word ren- 
dered " light," signifies not light only, but heat 
or fire. 

This identity of signification is, to say the 
least, exceedingly appropriate, since light and 
heat, as we now know, are generically one, being 
merely variations in the ethereal undulations, a 
physical fact unknown to Dr. Clark ! 

The primary, nebulous condition, " without 
form, void and dark," was utterly unfit for human 
use, not a condition complete in itself, but prepar- 
atory for something higher. Hence, in harmony 
with the Author's dominant idea of making man 
the central object, it was not pronounced " good." 



60 * GEF*ESIS AND SCIENCE. 

But as light was perfect in itself, ready for the use 
of the coming man, irrespective of the state of 
what it illuminated, it merited and received the 
verdict of completion and approval. " And God 
saw that it was good," finished to his satisf action. - 
By the laws of dynamics aided by a know- 
ledge of " the correlation of forces," we now know 
that the hot, self-luminous, nebulous mass of our 
solar system (the cosmos) slowly cooled, and 
shrinking centreward, generated a gyratory mo- 
tion. Revolving with increasing velocity as the 
diameter grew less, it at length left behind it neb- 
ulous rings, which themselves cooling and shrink- 
ing, formed the planets. Our earth, gathered up 
from an annular to a spheroidal form, was at first 
a mass of incandescent, self-luminous vapor, as it 
were a comet, revolving about the central body, in 
a planet's orbit. Further condensation and cool- 
ing made it a ball of liquid fire, a shoreless ocean 
of lava, giving out light upon every side.* 

* " And what a surface ! For land and water, glowing 
rock and molten lava. Vast seas of fire tossed by furious 
gales whose breath was flame, corruscated with a thousand 
colors as their condition underwent continual change. Then 
over a wide extent of those oceans the intense lustre would 
die out, to be replaced by a dull, almost imperceptible glow 
where the surface of the fiery ocean was changing into a 
crust of red-hot rock. But then came fresh disturbance. The 
crust broke in a thousand places, showing the intensely Lot 
sea beneath. Fragments of red-hot rock many miles in ex- 
tent were tossed hither and thither by the raging sea. Nor 
were these the only evidences of an intense energy. From 



THE NEW WITNE^ES. 61 

Still slowly cooling through Mie ages, its sur- 
face became covered with a solid but glowing crust, 
and when this had so far fallen in temperature as 
to be no longer luminous, then, for the first time 
in the history of our globe, the hitherto all-per- 
vading light was separated from the darkness, as 
now, by a line of demarcation, on one side of 
which opposite the sun was night and on the other 
day. 

" And God called the light Day, and the dark- 
ness he called Night. And the evening and the 
morning were one day." (" One day " in the 
Hebrew.) 

This marks an important stage of progress in 
our world's development, indicating the complete 
transition from the gaseous, self-luminous, come- 
tary condition, to the solid, opaque, planetary 
body, a fact that was evidently well known to the 
Author of Genesis, for in his brief way he men- 
tions the division of light from darkness, the 
fact which of all others characterized it, a divi- 
sion heretofore impossible. " And God divided 

time to time, the rush of the hurricanes which raged over 
the molten oceans, was hushed into comparative stillness, as 
volcanic explosions took place. Enormous volumes of steam 
and other imprisoned gases were flung upward with irresist- 
ible force." 

This vivid picture, from Proctor's Borderland of Science, 
although an imaginary description of Saturn, is a true de- 
scription of our earth's condition after it had condensed to a 
liquid and had begun to form a crust, but was yet self-1 ami- 
no us. 



62 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

between the light and the darkness." Up to that 
time, in reference to our planet, light had been 
everywhere, and there would have been no more 
propriety in speaking of such a division than there 
would be now in case of the Sun. 

Could any man, in the light of the present 
knowledge, select more accurately, or depict more 
graphically, the characteristic fact which indicates 
the close of our world's intensely hot and self-lumi- 
nous existence ? 

Note, too, the thorough mastery of his sub- 
ject, incidentally, as it were, shown by the Author 
when he calls " day," not the light in general, but 
light after this division. It was not the darkness 
which was upon the " deep " prior to motion, but 
darkness which had been separated from the light, 
that he called Night, i. e. it was after the earth 
began by alternations of light and darkness to 
measure time. 

In these two verses (4, 5) is comprehended all 
that the Author has seen fit to tell us of our 
world's self-luminous existence. The announce- 
ment of the emission of light, " And there was 
light," marks the earliest visible effect of Cosmic 
vivification by the impartation of motion, the com- 
mencement of that period of intense heat, and uni- 
versal luminosity, as the words " God divided the 
light from the darkness," mark its close. Between 
these verses is all the longtime from a first moved 
cosmic mass, to a solar system with its arrange- 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 63 

ment of Sun, planets, and satellites, to our earth 
a solid non-luminous sphere ! So vast an interval, 
so transcending the power of the human intellect 
to measure, which no Calculus can compute, be- 
wilders us, and we draw back exhausted as from 
the contemplation of duration without limit. 

Such vast real intervals, where there is apparent 
juxtaposition, are most common in the record writ- 
ten in the sky. Stars seem to us almost to touch 
each other, whose real distance apart is unmeasured, 
and as yet immeasurable. In an infinitely smaller 
way, writers and speakers often link into one nar- 
rative, or even one sentence, events separated by 
vast intervals of time. If one were to say, " Ital- 
ian Tribes founded a city, which Gothic Robbers 
destroyed," the statement would be equally true 
whether we recognized the many centuries that 
intervened, or in our ignorance, thought that the 
last event followed close upon the first. And 
when, our knowledge of history having increased, 
we learned how far apart they really were, it 
would be strange logic that should therefore deny 
the truth of the original statement. 

Important as was this stage to which our world 
had now attained, it was a condition of transi- 
tion, not of completion. Although no longer hot 
enough to give light, yet for a long period its 
high temperature permitted no water to remain 
upon it. The Oceans existed at first as super- 
heated, transparent vapor. But as the surface 



64: GENESIS ANT) SCIENCE. 

heat grew more moderate, the invisible vapor be- 
came dense masses of mist enveloping the world 
" in clouds like a garment," and making " thick 
darkness a swaddling band for it." This mist, or 
cloud, must have been of vast extent. If we sup- 
pose one cubic inch of water to form one cubic 
foot of vapor, and the ocean sufficient to cover the 
earth to the depth of two and a half miles, the 
" clouds " must have been nearly two thousand five 
hundred miles in thickness, causing a " darkness " 
more intense than the darkest night imaginable.* 

* The Bible student will note this as one of the many 
instances in which Science casts a flood of light on passages 
otherwise incomprehensible. What more beautiful and true 
description can be given of that condition of our earth which 
we have been been considering, than the one in Job, xxxviii. 
9 ? These dense masses of clouds ! how they must have 
poured down the water as they passed more and more com- 
pletely from invisible vapor to clouds and mists ! 

" Or who shut up the seas with doors, when it brake forth, 
as if it had issued out of the womb ? 

" When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick 
darkness a swaddling band for it." 

Think of the intense, all-pervading darkness caused by 
such clouds ; making " the cloud the garment thereof, and 
thick darkness a swaddling band for it ! " 

" A swaddling band," not an irregular, shapeless mass of' 
clouds, but "bands" wrapping it around, as to-day clouds 
wrap around Jupiter and Saturn. 

Their waters are still in their atmosphere, but mostly, as 
I take it, yet in the form of invisible superheated steam. 
Their ground is still hot enough to glow. Their clouds (of 
whatever material) are yet in " bands " about them. 

Such in an earlier epoch was the condition of our planet, 
and such, as far as the bands, it continued after it passed into 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 65 

Further ages of~cooling reduced the tempera- 
ture of the vapor until, at length, the water began 
to descend in torrents, to be again and again thrown 
back in clouds of steam by the hot crust. In due 
time the conflict ceased. The primeval storms 
and tempests abated ; the air became clear. The 
waters covered the earth ; above them a transpa- 
rent open space, and yet above that, clouds. This 
open space marks the close of another important 
stage in the progress of the world toward inhabit- 
ability. It indicates the close of the supremacy 
of purely igneous action, and the beginning of the 
period in which aqueous action was henceforth to 
be dominant. 

The Author of Genesis must have known of 
this, or he would not have given us in this series 
of word pictures, as representing the next great 
stage of progressive development, an open space 
which separates the rolling .ocean, "the waters 
below," from the clouds yet suspended high in air, a 
space so clear that one could see in the blue expanse 
the glories of the heavens. These are his words : 
"And God made an open space (not orepiofta, nor 
firmament, something solid, as translated by Scien- 
tists of Ptolemy's time !), and divided the waters 
that were under it from those above it." 

the condition of lower temperature when water became visi- 
ble mist. Even now, were our earth free from inequalities 
upon its surface, its clouds would retain their band form. 
Land and water, mountains and valleys, destroy all regularity 
of cloud- form. 



DO GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

And this "open space God called heaven." 
Why? Because, as we now know, it was only 
after the deposition of the water that the stars 
were visible on our globe. During its earlier 
stage, when itself luminous, the fainter light of 
the stars was either lost in the earth's own efful- 
gence or quenched in the vapors that loaded its 
atmosphere; During the non-luminous condition, 
their light was intercepted by the dense clouds. 
Hence when there came the open clear expanse, 
it revealed for the first time the glories of the 
night, and seemed as now to reach the stars. In- 
deed, if one wishes to be very exact, he may justly 
say, the open space which separates the waters is 
the same space which continues beyond the clouds, 
to the heavens, to the stars themselves, an inter- 
pretation that, to say the least, is not opposed by 
the fact that the word rendered " heaven " is dual 
in form. 

This clearing the atmosphere, science tells us, 
was a very important stage of progress ; indeed, 
absolutely essential to the subsequent develop- 
ment. That the Author appreciated its impor- 
tance is evident, since he devotes a " day " to it. 
But he does not pronounce it " good." 

Why this omission ? Certainly the work was 
of inconceivable importance, absolutely essential 
before life could exist, and there is nothing done 
by the Divine Architect that is not well done. 

I think it is manifest on a careful study of 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 67 

this Chapter that Tir^every case where it is said 
" God saw it was good," perfection is indicated, 
i. e. not excellence only, but completion — " good " 
for the use to which it was to be put, — "good" 
for men. 

For some cause, the atmosphere, the clear, open 
expanse, although freed from the excess of water, 
was not pronounced finished for the use of the 
coming man. 

The records of Geology offer an explanation. 
There we find abundant and convincing evidence 
that the purification of the atmosphere was not 
completed until unnumbered centuries after the 
beginning of the upheaval of the dry land. At 
least through the Paleozoic epochs (a duration we 
cannot measure), the air was loaded with carbonic 
acid and probably with many other impurities. 

Had the Author represented the purification 
of the air, not as having reference merely to the 
deposition of the water, but as continuing until 
he was able to pronounce it " good," i. e. fit for 
man, he would have materially injured the sharp 
chronological order which is one of the most 
characteristic features of the Narrative, since this 
would have carried the " second day " so down 
into the history of the globe as to have lapped far 
on the emergence of the dry land, the work of the 
next great epoch. 

How long the world remained enveloped in a 
shoreless ocean there are no data on which we can 



68 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

found an estimate. It must have been a time of 
turmoil, of great volcanic upheavals, of terrific 
earthquakes. It must have been long, for during 
its continuance the primeval crust was broken and 
ground up, forming in part the materials of the 
Azoic sedimentary rocks, as is apparent from their 
immense thickness. 

In the fulness of time, the continents began to 
be upheaved, showing in their earliest manifesta- 
tions lines of structure which clearly indicated 
their present form, bearing no marks of chance 
upheaval, but showing a plan worked out through 
the Geological epochs, and attaining their full 
completion, after countless centuries, towards the 
close of the Tertiary. 

In this Age (Dana, p. 586), "there was the fin- 
ishing of the rocky substratum of the Continents ; 
the expansion of the continental areas to their full 
limits, or their essentially permanent recovery from 
the waters of the ocean ; the elevation of many of 
the great mountains of the globe, or a considera- 
ble portion of them, through a large part of their 
height, as the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Hima- 
layas, Andes, Kocky Mountains, the loftiest chains 
of the globe, — a result not finally completed until 
the close of the Tertiary." 

Geology, then, tells us that at the close of this 
epoch, the arrangement of the land was completed, 
and the profound est students of Physical Geogra- 
phy unite in pronouncing it " good." 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 69 

In perfect accord^with this, the Author places 
in an epoch subsequent to the deposition of the 
waters, the appearance and the completion of the 
dry land, and adds, " God saw it was good." He 
gives no intimation of the interval of time be- 
tween, but Geology so far supplies the omission 
as to assure us of its surpassingly long duration. 

It may be replied that in all this there is no- 
thing remarkable, as of course the elevation of the 
land above the water could not have preceded its 
deposition. Yet I note three things that did not 
" follow of course." 

First, The land might have assumed its present 
elevation before the water fell, leaving the latter, 
when the time for falling came, simply to fill the 
already existing valleys to their present depth. 
But the words, " Let the waters be gathered into 
one place, and let the dry land appear," are 
utterly inconsistent with any such previous condi- 
tion, and are equally in harmony with all the 
Geological facts of the world's history. 

Second, It was the belief of the ancients that 
the world was mostly land, and the water compara- 
tively small bodies in a great degree isolated from 
each other. It did not "follow of course" that 
the waters were gathered into one place. Yet such 
is the fact, as Geography tells us. 

Third, The excellence of the arrangement of 
land and water does not " follow of course." The 
ancients had a horror of the sea, and it is only 



70 GENESIS A.ND SCIENCE. 

since a comparatively recent date that Scientists 
have found that land and sea have been placed 
and proportioned with surpassing wisdom. 

The Author of Genesis pronounced it " good," 
and now all science confirms the verdict.* 

I cannot leave this portion of the account 
without calling the readers attention to its pecu- 
liar wording. " Let the dry land appear," or if it 
is closer to the original, let it be written as a fu- 
ture (since the Hebrew obtains its first and third 
persons of the imperative by the use of a simple 
future). " The dry land shall appear." Such an 
expression would be marvelously in harmony with 
the fact that the land had risen close to the surface 

* It will aid in appreciating the wonderful wisdom of the 
Author of this Narrative to compare his statements with 
those of a much later Hebrew Author. 

In II. Esdras, chap. v. 42, in the course of an account of 
Creation borrowed from that in Genesis, the writer, not sat- 
isfied with the Science of that book, attempts, like the trans- 
lators of the Septuagint, to improve it by the aid of the 
improved Science of his own day. He says, " Upon the third 
day thou didst command that the waters should be gathered 
in the seventh part of the earth ; six parts hast thou dried 
up, . . . the seventh part where the waters were gath- 
ered." 

This is far from being the only instance of the danger 
of adding improvements to the story of the Hebrew Pro- 
phet. 

Such blundering was most natural to one whose know- 
ledge was limited to the waters bordering on Judea. His 
statement contrasts most sharply with the brief but photo- 
graphically true account of Moses. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 71 

of the water, all shaped and planned, and only 
waited the permission to rise through the shallow 
covering of water to the air. " Let the dry land 
appear." It is all ready, let it come forth. 

What, then, is the fact as revealed by Geolo- 
gists ? 

That at the beginning of Geology, the conti- 
nents were formed as immense submarine plateaux, 
lying a very short distance beneath the surface. 
The grand structure-lines of the continents were 
early formed and " the system thus initiated was 
the system to the end." (Dana, Manual, p. 160.) 

There is something marvelous in the sharp 
antithesis of the Mosaic account, " Let the waters 
be gathered unto one place," and the immense 
inland seas of the earlier Geologic Epochs, an an- 
tithesis that finds its counterpart in the actual 
contrast of those periods and of to-day. 

The then condition of our earth resembled that 
exhibited now upon the planet Mars according to 
the latest maps, on which are seen large bodies of 
water shut off from all others, and with long, 
narrow arms running far inland. 

Sir R. Murchison tells us that " Russia in 
Europe is one huge depository basin," ..." there 
existed an inland sea of brackish water exceeding 
in size the present Mediterranean, of which the 
present Caspian is the diminished relic." This 
inland sea, he says, was entirely separated from the 
Western Ocean of that period. 



72 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Vast shallow inland seas, at times connected 
with other bodies, and at other times entirely cut 
off", were numerous in the period preceding the 
middle Tertiary, and to some extent till towards 
its close. 

The reader will note that this is the Geological 
epoch of the completion of the continents, and of 
the appearance of " grasses, herbs, and trees bear- 
ing fruit whose seed is in itself," and that it im- 
mediately precedes the period of the Glaciers, that 
period which draws a strong line of demarcation 
between the ancient type of climate and the 
modern. 

The Mosaic Narrative now deals with organic 
forms, and first with vegetation. 

Let us see what is known from the record of 
the rocks. 

There we read that prior to the completion of 
the Continents there were immeasurable periods 
of ancient life forms, the strange old shapes of the 
Paleozoic Age, the less strange of the Mesozoic, 
and the more modern of the Cenozoic. 

Vegetation, commencing with the lowest and 
simplest organization, the Algae, advanced in the 
Devonian to a flora which presented, with Lyco- 
podiums, Ferns, and Equisetse, various cone-bear- 
ing plants, representing the large but inferior 
class styled from their naked seeds Gymnosperms. 
In the Carboniferous period came a rank and 
abundant growth, whose remains have given us 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 73 

our stores of coal. Here, in addition, was found 
yet another great order, the Cycads, also belong- 
ing to the Gjmnosperms. 

As yet there were no Grasses, no Palms, no 
Angiosperms, the last and highest development. 
What is an Angiosperm? It is an Exogenous 
plant whose seed is covered, as the apple, rose, 
plum, etc., a plant whose seed is inside of the fruit. 

Mesozoic plant-life, till far down and into the 
Cretaceous, presents the same characteristics. 

There was an abundant flora, but no Palms, 
no Angiosperms, and most probably no Grasses. 
In the Cretaceous, the chalk period, suddenly and 
abruptly, vegetation begins to assume a more 
modern character. Grasses, Palms, and Angio- 
sperms begin to appear, not dominant, but a pro- 
mise of the future, "for this was properly the 
closing part of the era of the Cycads." * 

In the Cenozoic there was an increase of those 
higher orders until they attained their present 
preponderance in the Tertiary. Here are found 
Plums, Almonds, Roses, Acacias, Whortleberries, 
Palms, Grasses, etc. 

Hence, as to vegetable life, the culmination was 
attained in the Tertiary, since no higher develop- 
ment has since been made; there is no higher 
type than Palms and Angiosperms. 

Is it possible to find a definition that shall 
include these heads of the great divisions, the exo- 
* Dana, Manual, 1874, p. 471. 



74 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

genous and the endogenous % I can think of none 
more perfect than, " the tree yielding fruit whose 
seed is in itself." * 

This evidently is the kind of vegetation of 
which Moses wrote, " And the earth brought forth 
grass, the herb yielding seed, and the tree yielding 
fruit the seed of which is in itself." As in these 
the vegetable world culminated, the Author pro- 
nounces them " good," i. e. fitted for the sustenta- 
tion of Man and the Class of animals most affect- 
ing his interests. 

It is hardly possible to read thoughtfully this 
account and not wonder why two such diverse 
and yet so important acts as the appearing of the 
dry land and the completion of vegetable develop- 
ment, should be included in one epoch. 

* " Tree yielding fruit whose seed is in it." 
Dana (p. 768) considers this the philosophical character- 
istic of vegetation distinguishing it from inorganic sub- 
stances. This is true without doubt, but no more true for 
vegetation than for animal life. Nor does that idea add any- 
thing to the force of " grasses, herbs and fruit trees." But 
if, by " tree yielding fruit the seed of which is in it," is 
meant what it plainly says, that the seed of these trees was 
covered, i. e. was inside of the fruit, thus distinguishing 
them not only from the cotemporaneous herbs yielding seed 
as well as from the inferior but preexistent orders whose 
seed was not in the fruit but naked, then there is shown a 
deep and broad undercurrent of knowledge, that on the one 
hand takes in the Geological ante-human periods, their 
beginnings and culminations, and on the other, the profound 
analysis of Modern Botanical Science, which has told us of 
the structural and useful peculiarities of the great modern 
division of the Angiosperms. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 75 

If the purposel)f dividing the narrative into 
just six epochs made it necessary to crowd two 
events into one division, it would seem every way 
more natural to place together the deposition of 
the waters and the appearance of the dry land. 

The discoveries of Geology already discussed, 
give an answer which if it stood alone would attest 
the Divine origin of this Account. From them we 
learn, not only that the completion of the conti- 
nents, i. e. the time of receiving the Divine appro- 
bation as " good," was an immeasurable distance 
subsequent to the deposition of the waters, the 
two being almost at the extremes of Geologic 
record, but that vegetable life which began soon 
after the beginning of the emergence of the conti- 
nents, was developed along with them, and both 
reached their culmination in the same Geologic 
Epoch, in the Pliocene, the close of the Tertiary ! 

How little called for has been the fear of this 
most faithful Witness. 

Another very reasonable inquiry is, why does 
the writer speak of "grasses, herbs, and fruit 
trees " and remain silent as to the previous and 
much more extended domain of Algae, Ferns, Cy- 
cads, etc. ? 

Three answers suggest themselves. 

First, because the vegetable world culminated 
in these. Second, because they are most useful 
for man and cattle. The third reason, not appa- 
rent upon the face of the narrative, but perhaps, 



76 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

in reference to God's purpose of authenticating a 
Revelation, of far greater weight in his mind, was 
because this vegetation marks the close of the 
ancient type of climate which was distinguished 
for its monotonous uniformity.* It thus estab- 
lished a biological date, subsequent to which 
began the modern type of climate characterized 
by changing seasons, and consequently, unequal 
days and nights. 

Till well down to this time of " fruit trees " 
the Geological record assures us that the same 
plants and animals flourished luxuriantly from 
well toward the equator to latitude 78° at least. 
And as light is one of the most vital needs of 
plants, we are compelled to believe, if there be 
any truth in the doctrine of Uniformity of Law, 
that a somewhat equal arrangement of light and 
darkness prevailed at that time in the higher 
and lower latitudes, and that therefore the polar 
regions could not have then had days of six 
months duration, alternating with nights of equal 
length. 

If this be so, then as a necessary consequence 
there could not have been the present alternation 
of seasons, and the cause of this alternation did 

* Dana, Manual (1874) p. 352. " The temperature of the 
Arctic Zone differed but little from that of Europe and Amer- 
ica. Through the whole hemisphere — we might say world 
— there was a genial atmosphere " (Close of the Carbonife- 
rous Age) " for one uniform type of vegetation and genial 
waters for Corals and Brachiopods." 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 77 

not then exist. Ergo, the axis of the earth did 
not then have its present inclination, but must 
have been nearly perpendicular to its orbit. 

After " fruit trees " came, according to the 
record of the rocks, the Glacial Epoch, and at the 
earliest subsequent period of which anything is 
known, are found days and nights of unequal 
length and changing seasons. Hence during that 
epoch the axis of the earth must have attained its 
present inclination of 23£°.* 

Such a change of obliquity, causing seasons and 
unequal days and nights, and affording a simple 
and natural measurement of the year, and signs 
for the arrangement of the Jewish religious fes- 
tivals, exactly harmonizes with the Mosaic Ac- 
count. 

" And God said, Let the lights in the firma- 
ment (open space) of heaven, be to divide the day 
from the night," '[the margin says " to divide be- 
tween the day and between the night, i. e. to 
divide the time between them, giving to each its 
due but ever-varying share,"] " and let them be 
for signs and for seasons and for days and for 
years." f 

* For a full discussion of this subject see Part III. 

f Verse 14. The Common Version reads, " Let there be 
lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the 
night, and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days 
and for years." 

The word " there-" does not occur in the original, and the 
verb " let be " is the same in both places, save that it is of 



78 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

How appropriate a description of such an axial 
change. 

Note, too, the phraseology. It is carefully 
chosen, and is as remarkable for what it does not 
say, as for what it says. It is marvel ously in ac- 
cord with the thought that its Author knew that 
an increase of the inclination of the earth's axis 
then occurred, and was familiar with its eifects. 
This, as Astronomers tell us, causes the Sun to 
divide the time unequally between the day and the 

the singular number in the first. If so translated, giving it 
the same meaning in both, the translation would read, " And 
God said, Let it be that the lights in the firmament of heaven 
divide ",..." and let them be for signs and for seasons, for 
days and for years." 

This would imply their previous existence and simply 
denote their appointment to certain duties. It seems to me 
that one with a knowledge of all the facts of our Solar Sys- 
tem (which Grod most certainly possessed) and with no pre- 
vious theory to sustain, would so render it. 

The Common Version implies the non-existence of these 
bodies, or at least their non-appearance, in the expression 
" let there be lights "... while the second expression, " Let 
them be for signs," etc. , denotes simple appointment. I can 
see no good reason for the distinction. 

As to the use or omission of the article, no argument can 
justly be drawn from its presence or absence, since it is only 
partially the equivalent of our own, and the translators have 
added it or omitted it in this very Chapter, as from their 
stand-point seemed to them best, and that, too, without any 
notice to the reader by italics or otherwise. 

This change in the mode of translating the same word, is 
another instance of supposed science affecting the minds of 
the translators. As the Seventy thought to bring out more 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 79 

night, and the moonjto divide its hours of shining, 
giving the winter nights a greater share than would 
otherwise be possible. It also, in connection with 
the Moon, gave the " signs " indicating the time 
for the Jewish festivals, since the Passover fell on 
the first full Moon of Spring. It gives seasons 
too, and so makes it easy to measure the years ; 
but of months, a far more obvious division of time, 
the account does not speak. 

They alone, although so evidently dependent 

clearly what they deemed aD inspired Cosmogony ought to 
gay, by translating the Hebrew word for expanse by arepiufxa, 
something solid, so they rendered " let be," in the first part 
of the verse by yEVTjdrjTuaav , " let there be lights," i. e. " let them 
come into existence," and in the second place by " eoruaav," 
let them be " for signs," etc. The English translators fol- 
lowed in their footsteps and intensified the creative idea, for 
yevTjd//ro)<jav may also mean merely appointment, while our 
version drops that idea altogether. 

One other verbal remark is not inappropriate. " And " is 
used simply as a connective, without necessarily indicating 
that the event mentioned, in the following clause was sub- 
sequent in the order of time to that spoken of before. 
Instances in proof are not uncommon, but we need not go 
elsewhere to find them. In the account of this " day," is 
a case exactly to the point. After appointing the Sun and 
Moon to their respective offices, the writer adds," and it was 
so." That is, the thing was done. The Sun and Moon, in 
obedience to the divine command, had already begun to rule 
the day and the night. He then goes on to say, " And God 
made two great lights," etc. 

It is simply impossible that the writer intended us to 
understand that God made these lights after they had already 
obeyed his commands. 



80 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

upon the "lesser light," and next to days the most 
natural to speak of, are not mentioned ! Why ? 
Because months (originally from new moon to new 
moon) are measured by lunar revolutions, and are 
unaffected by any change in the obliquity of the 
earth's axis. Nor for the same reason is any men- 
tion made of weeks, although their institution is 
one of the most apparent objects of the writer 
throughout the narrative, and stands out promi- 
nently in his subsequent writings. 

It may be said that if my explanation be true, 
then the entire effect was produced upon the earth 
itself, while Genesis says it was something done 
to, or by, the Sun and Moon. 

But this, it appears to me, is more than the 
words of the Author permit. He does not say r 
nor as it seems to me, necessarily imply, that any- 
thing at all was done to the Sun and Moon ; nor, 
on the other hand, was it within his purpose to 
tell us the physical fact that nothing was done to 
them. True to its purpose of photographing facts, 
the Narrative simply announces God's intention or 
command that these luminaries should divide the 
time between the day and the night, and should 
be for signs and seasons, for days and for years, 
and tells us that the command was obeyed. That 
is all. It gives no word as to the physical cause. 

Nor is this any proof of the Author's igno- 
rance or untruthfulness. As well complain of the 
expected photographs of the Transit of Venus be- 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 81 

cause all that will be obvious to the observer is a 
small black spot, and the great disk of the Sun. 
Its value will be in proportion to the truthfulness 
with which those two things shall be represented. 

The great fact is that the Sun and Moon did 
divide between the day and the night, and were 
for signs and for seasons, for days and years, and 
that this event occurred after the production of 
grasses, herbs, and fruit trees, and before living 
species of animals. So much is said positively, 
and it is clearly implied in its silence as to months, 
that nothing was done to the moon. These an- 
swer all the conditions of the Narrative, and are 
in themselves physical facts of the highest im- 
portance. 

Here I meet another class of objectors, who 
tell me my argument proves too much, if it proves 
the third period preceded the Glaciers, for such' a 
climatic change as is implied in varying seasons 
and unequal days and nights, would necessitate 
many new species of plants and even of " grasses, 
herbs, and fruit trees," for the new conditions ; 
and moreover that the fossils do show such, while 
Moses says the Creation of plants ceased on the 
" third day," and, therefore, here is a contradic- 
tion. 

Upon a most careful examination of the entire 
account in both Chapters, 1 cannot find any asser- 
tion that no plants were created subsequently to 
this period. The writer does affirm that the 
4* 



82 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

earth did then " bring forth grasses, herbs, and 
fruit trees," That is all. God may, or may not, 
have created plants of any kind, on some one or 
on each of the subsequent periods. The Narra- 
tive gives no intimation in the first Chapter. But 
it is pretty clearly intimated, if not expressly 
stated, in the ninth verse of the next Chapter, 
that God did create " trees " on the last creative 
epoch. Moreover, there is nowhere any assertion 
of rest from creative labor until the seventh day. 

The attentive, thoughtful reader will here note 
how, in this case as in many others, difficulties 
vanish in proportion as we keep close to the sharp 
photographic character of the narrative, viz. that 
it means exactly what it says, no more, no less. 

Placed as this fourth period is, after grasses, 
herbs, and fruit trees, and before the creation of 
living species of fish, and other water creatures, 
•and fowl, it establishes the Biological date of the 
great Climatic change precisely where Geology 
places a great climatic change, i. e. at the era of 
the Glaciers. 

After stating the offices of " the lights in the 
firmament," the writer, with emphatic repetition, 
guards against' the possibility of the Star-worship- 
pers saying that his Creatorship did not include 
the Stars ; he amplifies and repeats ; He made the 
sun ; He made the moon ; He set them in the 
heavens to rule over the day and over the night; 
He made the stars also. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 83 

That I am correct in considering the sixteenth 
verse as retrospective, is clearly shown, apart from 
any verbal or grammatical argument, by its includ- 
ing the " stars also." As the Stars must have 
been intended, as well as the Sun and Moon, in 
the first verse (otherwise it means nothing), the 
subsequent statement must be merely a repeti- 
tion. 

It would be too illogical to say that in this 
statement, where "lights" and "stars" are the 
object of the same verb, creation was intended in 
the one case and something very different in the 
other. It cannot be that a writer able to pen 
sentences that have ever been the admiration of 
critics, should so far stultify himself as to say in 
the first verse, that God created the heavens and 
the earth, and then in the sixteenth verse, say that 
he did this very thing on the fourth period after. 

In these words, " the stars also," I note a care- 
ful guarding against misapprehension, a fact thrown 
in that refuses to harmonize with any explanation 
save one based on the actual facts of the history of 
the Universe. 

Moreover, in this clause, " the stars also," 
there is a reaching out to truth which has just 
been scientifically demonstrated, viz. that the 
stars have the same origin as our earth and sun. 
It has been, for not many years, strongly suspected 
that this was true, for the elliptic orbits of the 
double stars show that they are subject to the 



84 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

same laws of gravitation, inertia, and motion ; 
while their light is obedient to the same optical 
laws. But it was reserved for that most delicate 
of all means of investigation, that marvel of 
power, the spectroscope, to tell us that the mate- 
rials of those distant orbs, as well as of our own 
sun, are essentially identical with those of the 
earth on which we live. 

" God made two great lights." Here I note, 
before leaving this part of the account, a precision 
of language that our English does not express. In 
verses 3, 4, 5, the word light differs in more than 
grammatical number from the " lights " of verses 
14, 15, 16. These indicate bodies not composed 
of light, but places or sources whence light ema- 
nates. 

The events of this period not only gave man- 
kind the pleasures arising from changing seasons, 
but also largely increased the limits of the earth's 
inhabitability. It was not a stage to further pro- 
gress in this direction, but marked the completion 
of climatic preparation for the coming man. It 
might be warmer or colder, but henceforth the 
long winter nights were to be followed by the 
long days of summer. The monotony of the pre- 
glacial climate was gone forever. Those changes 
necessary for this purpose having been com- 
pleted, the arrangements of day and night, and 
seasons, bore the Divine inspection and were pro- 
nounced "good," i. e. not only "good" as a 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 85 

source of enjoyment to man, but completed. No 
further change in that direction has since occurred. 

All investigation confirms the verdict. 

Geologists tell us that after the work of the 
great circumpolar upheavals was ended, and the 
epoch of the Glaciers drew toward its close, sum- 
mer revisited the earth. The melting ice flooded 
the world with ice-cold water to an extent of 
which we can with difficulty conceive. Immense 
lakes and rivers covered a large portion of its sur- 
face. The ocean and the land, the lakes and the 
rivers, must, in temperature, have been for a long 
time in much the same condition as present cir- 
cumpolar regions, such as the upper part of British 
America, or the northern parts of the Eastern 
Continent. The conditions of animal life of that 
period and of these regions now, must have been 
in a great degree identical. 

The fauna at this day characteristic of circum- 
polar lands and waters, are fishes and fowl, whales, 
and other sea monsters living in, or on, the water, 
and the tiny mollusks such as form the food of 
the right whale. These all swarm in an abun- 
dance, of which those who live in warmer climes 
can form no conception. Nowhere else do water 
animals and water fowl so abound. 

Such by " Uniformity of Law," and, if you 
please, by " Natural Selection," should have been 
the character of the animals that followed the 



86 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

work of the fourth day, if that was the era of the 
Glaciers.* 

Compare with this the Mosaic record of the 
work of the fifth period. " God said, ' Let the 
waters bring forth abundantly the moving crea- 
ture that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the 
earth in the open firmament (expanse) of heaven.' 
And God created great whales,f and every living 
creature that moveth which the waters brought 
forth abundantly, after their kind (i. e. water 
creatures), and every winged fowl after his kind." 

The language is general enough to include all 
living species of water animals and fowls ; but it is 
marvelously characteristic of the present fauna of 
circumpolar regions, and, if so intended, fixes, on 
this side, the Biological epoch of the grand cli- 
matic change of which the Glacial was the scene. 

Here I may be met with the fact that although 
"fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals" of the pre- 
glacial period are now utterly extinct, yet undoubt- 
edly some protozoans and mollusks have survived. 
Whether such a, survivorship of so small a number 

* Lyell, Principles of Geology, p. 125, 126, says, speaking 
of a period preceding man : " It appears that an arctic fauna 
specifically resembling that of the present seas, extended 
farther to the South than now. The date appears to coin- 
cide very nearly with the era of the dispersion of erratic 
blocks over Europe and North America," i. e. the close of 
the Glacial Epoch. 

f So rendered in our version, but rather any large crea- 
ture living in the water, not properly a fish. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 87 

of species, so low iirthe scale of existence, would 
affect the literal truth of so brief a statement, is a 
question that I think might justly be answered in 
the negative. But this objection, minute as it is, 
disappears on a close examination of the verses 
themselves. 

In the twentieth verse is an exact statement of 
what God proposed to do, or to have the waters do. 
It was simply to bring forth abundantly the mov- 
ing creature that hath life (i. e. living, moving 
creatures, as fishes and other animals) " and fowl." 
That is all. If they brought forth abundantly 
such a fauna, the account is literally verified. 
There may already have been many creatures in 
the seas, or there may have been few ; the account 
does not say. After stating God's purpose at that 
time, the Author, with the view of asserting God's 
universal creatorship, says, " God created great 
whales and every winged fowl." Each verse is 
literally true. Each subserves its own purpose. 
The thought that underlies the statements is the 
same as that discussed in reference to the repetition 
of God's creatorship, as to Sun, Moon, and Stars, 
and it again appears in verses 24 and 25, in the 
account of the work of the next period. 

The waters it is evident were fit for life sooner 
than the land, save the smaller islands and the 
shores of other lands. Inland, a lower tempera- 
ture prevailed. "Floods and torrents laid waste 
the country. During the earlier portion of this 



88 GENESIS AnD SCIENCE. 

transition period, the possibilities of animal life, 
other than that mentioned, must have been small. 
But as the ice disappeared, the conditions grew 
more and more favorable, until at last the laud 
was ready for its proper fauna. The gigantic 
mammalia of the Post-Tertiary made their appear- 
ance, flourished, and began to pass away, and to- 
ward its close began to be found the remains of 
the living creatures of to-day, " cattle, beasts, and 
creeping things." 

These are the animals of which Genesis speaks. 
" And God said, Let the earth bring forth the liv- 
ing creature after his kind, and cattle and creeping 
thing, and beast of the earth, after his kind ; and 
it was so." 

Is not this justly and fairly a description of the 
"living" fauna of to-day, given by one to whom 
man and his interests are objects of central im- 
portance ? 

This work, then, as complete and satisfactory 
to the Divine Architect, received his seal of ap- 
probation, and he pronounces it " good." 

The study of ancient and modern organic life 
has developed three great facts : 

That all organisms were outlined in the first 
created of each grand division, i. e. the first mol- 
lusk exhibited the general plan of all mollusks, 
the first radiate, of all radiates, and so on. 

That along the course of each "series, there ap- 
peared from time to time " comprehensive types " 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 89 

which, with the -characteristics of the group to 
which they belong, exhibit others of groups not 
yet in existence, prophetic of future developments. 

That those characteristics which united give 
what naturalists call species, are ineffaceable, at 
least in historic times. 

I note after the Mosaic Account of each or- 
ganic creation thus far, the words " after his kind." 
Is not this the true formula that embraces these 
three ideas ? 

Last of all in the records of the rocks, we find 
the remains of man.* His bones are sometimes 
mingled with those of gigantic mammalia then 
living, but extinct before the historic period com- 
menced. 

We find no prototype of him, no evidence of 
beings similarly endowed. Whatever remains 
are found belonging to Man, belong to him alone, 
and to no intermediate creature. He stands on an 
eminence unapproachable. 

Genesis tells us, "So God created man in his 
own image." 

This was the culmination of God's creation, 
and then, as it were closing up his work, with the 
arrangement of the Garden, the naming of the 
animals, the formation of Eve, the bestowal of his 
blessing upon the pair, the grant of dominion over 

* Lyell, Manual, p. 117. " That portion of the Post-plio- 
cene group which belongs to the human epoch, forms a very 
unimportant feature of the Geological structure of the earth's 
crust." 



90 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

all other creatures, the allotment of seed-bearing 
herbs and fruit-bearing trees to man for food, and 
the green herb to all others, " God saw every 
thing that he had made, and behold it was all very 
good." 

Is it not so ? 

The wisest of philosophers measure their ac- 
quirements by their knowledge of this that God 
has done, and find the greater the height to which 
they attain, the more boundless appears the vista 
beyond. 

After man, Geology tells of no new creatures. 
That power which produced such a marvelously 
abundant succession of species, has, since man's 
appearance upon the globe, ceased to operate.* 
Science seeks in vain for an explanation of this 
strange cessation. 

But in Genesis is found a key to the mystery. 
After God had through six creative periods 
brought his world to a condition worthy, in his 
infinite judgment, of the verdict " very good," 
given on the sixth and last of the " days," we are 
told, " On the seventh day God ended his work 
which he had made, and he rested on the seventh 
day from all his work which he had made." 

We have now gone item by item through the 
Mosaic Account of Creation. It touches modern 

* Darwinians deny this, but base their denial upon the 
assumption that somehow and somewhere proof to the con- 
trary will yet be found. An uncertain foundation on which 
to rest so large a conclusion ! 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 91 

Science in almost-every phrase. Throughout it 
all, there is no hesitation, no doubt, no cloudiness 
shrouding ignorance in words that mean anything 
or nothing, but the simplest and most positive 
assertions, the confident utterance of one who, in 
the fulness of perfect knowiedge, describes actual 
occurrences. 

The identity of this Narrative and the latest 
results of Scientific investigation, made too often 
in no friendly spirit, is so complete that they 
stand or fall together, a fact that is absolutely in- 
comprehensible on the theory that the former is 
the production, not of Moses merely, but of the 
united wisdom of all the world down to within 
the last quarter of a century. 

Nor does it aid in solving the mystery to as- 
sume that Moses obtained the story from tradition 
or more ancient documents. It is only thrown 
farther back, and the question still presents itself, 
" How did any man obtain this knowledge ? " 

To this question I can see but one answer. 
He who formed the world for man gave him this 
history. 

I submit whether those who reject this expla- 
nation are not bound to give one which shall be 
more satisfactory ? 



CHAPTER III. 



THE 



I NOW resume the consideration of the " day " 
mentioned in the Mosaic Cosmogony. 

The view most prevalent among Scientists 
who accept this Narrative as of Divine origin, is 
that the " Days " spoken of, are simply indefi- 
nite periods. Much can be said in favor of this 
opinion. It has moreover the advantage (if it be 
one) of being no newfangled notion, for some of 
the most profound writers, centuries ago, held that 
these " days " embraced a larger meaning than 
the time of a diurnal revolution, and this from a 
consideration of the text itself, and not from any 
special knowledge of the physical facts involved. 

The question from this stand-point is ably 
argued by Dr. Tayler Lewis, in his article on the 
" Six Days," in Lange.'s Commentary. 

To this view I cordially assented, until within 
a brief period. But reflection upon the curious 
and careful wording of each phrase, brought the 
conviction that the force of " day " is not ex- 
hausted by saying it refers to periods of indefinite 
length, although that meaning is most clearly in- 
dicated in the fourth verse of the next chapter. 



THE MOSAIC DAYS. 93 

I became dissatisfied with any explanation 
that ignores the intense literalism of the whole 
account. 

With a view to harmonize all the conditions 
of the problem, I carefully reexamined the narra- 
tive, and applied the key that unlocked so many 
difficulties in the other parts of the story, viz. : 

" The Author meant just exactly what is 
written, no more, no less." 

As to the interval of time between any two 
events successively mentioned, we have no data, 
in the account, by which we can judge of its ex- 
tent, and can no more form an idea of it, than of 
the true distances of the stars from each other, by 
their apparent places in the sky. 

The first use of this word occurs in verse 4, 
" And God called the light day." Here evidently 
" day " is simply the opposite of night, a period 
of about twelve hours. 

This is the primary and most common mean- 
ing of the w r ord. Another and higher idea is 
found in the use of day as embracing a period of 
light and one of darkness, or one evening and one 
morning. This is the second use. The writer 
says, " And the evening and the morning were 
one day." These evidently make the limits of 
one diurnal revolution, or twenty-four hours. 

We would naturally expect Moses to say, as 
our English translators have made him, " were 
the first day." But in the avoidance of the latter 



94 THE MOSAIC DAYS. 

expression, I see another indication of the bound- 
less knowledge of the Author that lets nothing 
escape him. 

Moses, writing from his own knowledge, had 
that been possible, would naturally have placed 
the formula, " the evening and the morning were 
the first day," directly after God pronounced the 
light good. This first announcement of comple- 
tion and perfection was properly the " first day," 
according to the analogy of the " days " in the 
other parts of the chapter. 

Moses could not have known what, thanks to 
Laplace and others, is now so evident, that such a 
statement could not have been the representation 
of a physical truth, for when light appeared, and 
in its perfection merited and received the Divine 
commendation as " good," and for a long, long time 
afterward, the earth was an integral portion of the 
great Cosmic Nebula. Not even the outermost 
planet had yet left the parent mass. Hence a day 
at that time was physically impossible. 

When, therefore, the earth had an individual 
existence, and by its axial revolution began to 
measure duration by days, the time for saying the 
first day^ according to the analogy of the other 
days, had long been passed. 

The creation of matter, the imparting of motion 
and the consequent giving forth of light, were 
events that wholly antedated the individual exist 
ence of our earth, and would have been equally 



THE MOSAIC DATS. 95 

real occurrences i£4he Cosmic Nebula had not yet 
changed to planets and Sun. 

But this separation of the light from the dark- 
ness was a fact specially pertaining to the earth, 
and is the beginning of its individual history. 

Hence, in order to bring this important epoch 
into the " six days," the Author saw fit to open 
the narrative with the assertion that this evening 
and morning of separation were simply " one 
day." * 

Another epoch of world-growth commenced ; 
ages upon ages was the hot dull ball cooling, ever 
bringing nearer the day when the waters could 
lie undisturbed upon its surface, or float in the 
upper air. At last it came. The evening and the 
morning when God had completed this great work, 
" and it was so," was the second day of work 
ended. 

Another period begins ; vast progress is made ; 
the dry land appears ; the waters are gathered 
into seas. Grasses, herbs, and fruit trees mark 
the culmination. God contemplates his work, 
and that day when " God saw it was good," that 

* In the peculiar wording of this and the succeeding 
enumeration of the " days," is another welling forth of the 
infinite knowledge of the One who indited this account. 
Knowing all things, speaking absolute truth, his words have 
a fulness of meaning that will ever expand with the growth 
of our knowledge. Not to interrupt this article I have 
thrown together, in a separate section, some of the thoughts 
suggested by the peculiar wording of which I have spoken. 



96 THE MOSAIC DATS. 

day of announcement and satisfaction, was the 
third day. 

A fourth epoch opens ; great climatic changes 
occur ; the Sun and Moon, henceforth, are to be 
for signs and for seasons, for days and for years. 
Whatever may have been the physical changes 
that took place, there came a day at last when 
they were completed. The work was accepted 
and pronounced "good," and that day, the end 
of this epoch, the day of approval, was the fourth 
day. 

Another epoch begins. Animal life, which 
commenced untold ages back in the Protozoans, 
Mollusks, Radiates, and Articulates of the Paleo- 
zoic Period, and which had passed through so 
many stages of progress, found its first culmina- 
tion in living species of fowls and fishes. " God 
saw that it was good," and this day of approval 
and announcement was marked in the sacred 
record as " the fifth day." 

Another period opens. Modern " beasts and 
cattle " walk the land. Man, the master of all, ap- 
pears. The day of entire completion came, the day 
when God looked upon his work and pronounced 
it " very good;" this day was the sixth day. 

In these verses, from the eighth to the last, 
the writer has given a third use of the word, an 
epochal day, a day of announcement, a day of 
completion, having no reference whatever to the 
length of the day, as when I speak of Independ- 



THE MOSAIC DAYS. 97 

once Day, the term has no allusion to the length 
of that day. 

Again, in the fourth verse of the next Chapter 
there occurs yet another use of the word, and this 
the more interesting because it is the only phrase 
in either Chapter, that purports to tell us how long 
was the time in which God created the earth and 
the heavens. 

" In the day the Lord God created the earth 
and the heavens." This day cannot possibly be 
twenty-four hours, for the writer has told us of six 
epochal days that certainly elapsed during the time 
of creation ; there is no logical escape from the 
conclusion, " the day " of the second chapter 
must be a period of indefinite duration, as when 
an old man speaks of things that happened in his 
day. 

A day came when God ceased to work, and the 
day of that cessation was the seventh of this 
epochal series. 

By thus combining the meanings of the word 
day, meanings certainly not incongruous to the 
context, and in themselves of every-day use, we 
are able to satisfy all the conditions of the problem ; 
the literal six days, the indefinite period, and the 
Geological epochs, all blending like the colors of 
the spectrum into one beam of light. 

I cannot feel that I have done full justice to 
this question of the " days," in its broadest mean- 
ing, without considering the assertion made in the 
5 



98 ON THE 

Fourth Commandment ; but as I have set out to 
examine the Story of Creation recorded in Genesis, 
as an independent document, I shall not undertake 
the consideration of the other at present. In Part 
II. the subject will be resumed. 

ON THE PECULIAR PHRASEOLOGY OF THE " DAY " 
CLAUSES. 

When reading thoughtfully the Mosaic Account 
of Creation, one cannot avoid being impressed by 
the sixfold repetition of certain expressions which, 
for lack of other name, I have styled the " day 
clauses." If he extends his examination into the 
Septuagint, he finds in these certain peculiarities 
that do not appear in the English Bible, and on 
referring to the Hebrew he finds there the same. 

Believing, as I am forced to do, from the re- 
sults of the examination of this Narrative thus far, 
that every word and phrase in it, was chosen for a 
purpose, and that the harmony between Science 
and this Account increases in proportion as we 
get closer to the very words of the Author, I pro- 
pose now to study these declarations in order to 
discover, if possible, their counterparts in our 
world's development. 

We read, verse 4, " And God divided between 
the light and the darkness (v. 5), And God called 
the light Day and the darkness he called Night, 
and the evening was . . . and the morning was 
one day." This is the reading of the Septuagint 



ON THE a DAY CLAUSES." 99 

and of the Hebrew, while our English version 
drops one of the verbs, makes the other plural, and 
for " one " substitutes " first." As the Hebrew is 
the only account that has any claim to be inspired, 
I dismiss the others without further remark. 

The use of the cardinal " one," and the repeti- 
tion of the verb with one predicate nominative, 
the other being easily supplied, are forms of ex- 
pression so peculiar in themselves that I cannot 
avoid the belief that they were employed in view 
of some physical fact well known to the Author, 
and by him deemed sufficiently important to be 
thus noticed. 

I am aware that the Hebrew ordinals do not 
extend below " second," and that the numeral 
" one " is sometimes used when the context clearly 
indicates that it must be translated by " first," but 
such use is comparatively rare, and occurs only 
where no ambiguity can arise. In other cases a 
different word meaning " head " is employed, par- 
ticularly if it is specially intended to denote the 
first of a series or procession, as in the English 
Version. 

That I am justified in not considering this as 
merely another mode of saying " first," is shown 
not only by the Septuagint, as 1 have already 
said, and by the Vulgate, but Josephus speaks of 
the phrase " one day," and calls attention to it as 
something needing explanation. 

To get at the full meaning of these most pecu- 



100 ON THE "DAY CLAUSES." 

liar expressions, one must place himself, as far as 
possible, on the stand-point of the Author, and 
turn upon them all the light that Science has 
given us as to the condition, form, inclination and 
movements of the world from " the beginning " to 
the present moment. This in all humility — for 
our highest knowledge is ignorance in comparison 
with his. 

The Author of Genesis knew, with the clear- 
ness of actual vision, the diurnal motion jof the 
earth, its sphericity and the position of its axis. 
If the latter was at that epoch (i. e. when the earth 
became non-luminous and day and night properly 
began) perpendicular to the plane of its orbit, as I 
hope to show hereafter, the crucial phenomenon 
indicating such a condition would be the equality 
of the days and nights. Not only was that a 
crucial phenomenon, but it was the only one then 
possible, since the intense heat of the scarcely 
solidified earth as yet forbade all thought of alter- 
nating seasons. 

This condition, if it existed, was one of im- 
mense importance as a stage in the development 
of our globe, one whose influence must have been 
felt in modifying all its subsequent progress. To 
describe it in scientific formulae was simply impos- 
sible ; there remained only one course, viz. to put 
upon record a physical fact, which characterized 
it. The only physical fact of the kind required, 



ON THE U DAY CLAUSES." 101 

which it was possible to put into words, was the 
equality of the day and night.* 

Note the manner in which this is done. That 
we may not mistake " day " for the period of an 
entire axial revolution, but may limit it to the 
special meaning which the Author intends to 
employ, he first defines it as the period of light in 
opposition to that of darkness. " The light he 
called Day, and the darkness he called Night." 
How better express that thought ? How more 
clearly define his use of the words ? Then, having 
thus limited the "Day," he adds, the evening (i. e. 
from sundown forward) was — what ? Evidently 
the sole substantive " day " must be the thing 
which " the evening was." In like manner he 
says, " and the morning was one day." 

Hence, by the familiar axiom, " things equal 
to the same things are equal to each other," the 
evening was equal to the morning. In other 
words, the time from sundown forward to the 
coming light was equal to the time from sunrise 
to the coming darkness, or in more modern phrase, 
the day and night were equal. 

In so brief and pregnant a narrative it may 
well be that one meaning does not exhaust it. 
That there is here also a reference to the order of 
succession, is evident, since the next is styled the 

* The reader is referred to Part III. for the full argument. 
I now assume that it is a fact that at this epoch the earth's 
axis was nearly perpendicular to its orbit. 



102 ON THE 

u second day." This idea was the only one which 
the Jews derived from the text. But this is no 
proof that the Author so intended to limit himself. 
That their understanding was no measure of the 
wealth of meaning conveyed, is shown by their 
distorted views of the statements relative to our 
Saviour. 

The only key to this account is, that the 
Author, knowing all now known to Philosophers, 
and infinitely more, and striving to compress into 
a few phenomenal sentences some fragments of 
his own infinite knowledge, has given us more 
than we shall ever comprehend. 

Thus much as to the " one day." As to the 
following days, the wording is equally peculiar. 
In them we find only the ordinal numbers, showing 
it to be preeminently a matter of numerical suc- 
cession, but it is accompanied by that strange 
repetition of the singular verb. Our language 
finds it difficult to indicate this change of meaning 
without a greater change in the form of expression 
than is found in either the Hebrew or the Greek. 
As literally as I can render these phrases they 
read : " 'Twas evening and 'twas morning the 
second day," " 'Twas evening and 'twas morning 
the third day," and in like manner through the 
six.* 

* The phrase for the sixth day seems to be rendered 
more emphatic by the use of the article. I know of no rea- 
son for this, except, perhaps, its culminating character. 



ON THE " DAY CLAUSES." 103 

What does tliatjnean ? The expression occurs 
nowhere else. Is the repetition of the verb mere 
surplusage % I cannot think so. 

If one, in the study of Laplace's great work, 
met some unusual form of expression, but often 
repeated by him, it would be presumption in him 
to reject the great master's words as surplusage 
because to him they seemed to convey no special 
meaning. It would rather be the part of modest 
common sense to say, the Great Geometer has 
shown by his profound analysis that he is master 
of his subject, and the very peculiarity and fre- 
quency of this baffling phrase indicate a purpose in 
its use. There must lie hidden a sense which I 
have not yet been able to reach. The fault is in my 
ignorance, or in my lack of mathematical acumen. 

If, then, the peculiar phraseology be not sur- 
plusage, there is something beneath the surface 
for which I propose to search. 

First, then, I note that the " one day " did not 
follow an announcement of completion, but merely 
a statement that God divided between the light 
and the darkness, and is, as I have endeavored to 
show, simply the statement of a physical fact, the 
then equality of the days and nights. 

Secondly, I also notice that each of the other 
" day clauses " follows an announcement of com- 
pletion. 

There is, apparently, somewhat of variation 
from this statement in the third and sixth days. 



104 ON THE 

On each of these there are two announcements of 
completion, but those on the third day were 
really synchronous, as Geology shows, while on 
the sixth, I am almost sure there was the same 
synchronism ; but, however that may be, the " day 
clause " follows the final and preeminent verdict of 
completion and approval, being not the comple- 
tion of any one part but of the totality. 

The utterance of such a verdict, u it was so," 
or " God saw it was good," was the work of but a 
moment, yet it marked the completion of an infi- 
nitely important stage of world-growth. It was 
not a completion limited to any one locality, but 
it affected every part of the globe, in harmony 
with the Geologic belief that each great era of 
structural change or development of organic life 
was world-wide in extent.' 54 ' Read in this light, 
these phrases become intelligible. They are an- 
nouncements made for no limited portion of the 
globe, but include, in modem terminology, both 
hemispheres. In the universal language of phe- 
nomena, they embrace the places where 'twas 
evening as well as those where 'twas morning, 
from where the sun was setting to where it was 
rising, and from where it was rising to where it 
was setting. No other phenomenal language can 
better express this modern 'idea of world-wide 

* The grander subdivisions or ages in Geological history, 
based in organic progress . . . are universal ideas for the 
globe. (Dana, Manual, p. 138.) 



ON THE " DAY CLAUSES." 105 

simultaneous completion. By giving the number 
of each day, the Author also keeps prominent his 
purpose of instituting six days of labor and one 
of rest. 

Even man's creation is first given, not so much 
as a local event, as in connection with its being 
the completion of the entire work, and the " day 
clause " follows the earth-wide assertion " and God 
saw everything that he had made, and behold it 
was all very good." 

In speaking of the seventh day there is a 
marked change of expression. We do not read 
'twas morning and 'twas evening the seventh day, 
but " God rested the seventh day." 

This has elicited various explanations, none of 
which appear to me satisfactory. Read, however, 
in the light of the other statements, the difficulty 
vanishes. 

We have seen that the announcements of the 
other days were announcements of completion 
world-wide as to the extent of country referred 
to, while from the nature of the act, only mo- 
mentary as to the time occupied, and that at the 
instant of their utterance, literally 'twas evening 
upon one side of the globe and 'twas morning 
upon the other, whatever may have been the day, 
whether the second, or third, or sixth, or any 
other. But this seventh day had special refer- 
ence to man, and to man only, and it was not an 
announcement merely, but a statement of a fact 
5* 



106 ON THE "DAY CLAUSES." 

that God rested from his work a day, a complete 
diurnal revolution of the earth. Hence the length 
of the rest was indicated : it was twenty-four hours. 

Did, then, God resume his work on the next 
day? 

Moses does not inform us, but I may add from 
another source, to me of equal authority, that 
God's work is yet going on. " My Father work- 
eth hitherto and I work." 

Has he, then, since that day, created new 
species ? The written Record gives no answer. 

Other questions press upon me, that I would 
most gladly answer, but I have reached a limit 
beyond which I can only gaze. 



CHAPTEE IV. 

THE EVIDENCE FURTHER CONSIDERED 

AMONG the scientific acquisitions bearing 
testimony to the truth of the Mosaic Narra- 
tive, I have mentioned a Law of Development. 

The existence of such " a mode of action " is 
so clearly indicated in Genesis, and at the same 
time is in such marked opposition to the belief of 
all the world until a quite recent period, that it is 
well worth thoughtful consideration. 

By this Law of Development, I understand that 
matter passes from a lower to a higher state of 
utility or beauty, not by one vast bound, as in 
Eastern stories palaces are reared by magic, but 
by a longer or shorter series of progressive acts, 
often too close to be observed, although at other 
times easily distinguished. Such development 
may occur under the influence of law apart from 
intelligence, as when the atoms in a solution 
arrange themselves in certain fixed lines or axes to 
form crystals. Or it may occur under the guid- 
ance of intelligence, as when a chemist separates 
silver from argentiferous lead by crystallizing the 
baser metal ; or in a higher and more complete 
form, as when the western pioneer develops the 



108 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

virgin forest into farms and cities. The last is the 
species of Development to which the Mosaic Ac- 
count of Creation points, differing, however, in 
degree as the Actor in the latter differs from the 
western pioneer. 

It does not properly come within the limits 
of this discussion to draw the line between this 
law of Development and that protean something 
known as Evolution. Indeed it is very difficult to 
find any definition that covers the whole subject, 
each writer having his own. If I might venture 
to add my quota, I would say, Development is pro- 
gress under control of intelligence, and Evolution 
is progress under the action of forces with, or 
without, intelligence. Others use these words as 
synonymous. 

" Evolution," at least in the hands of some, 
ignores all intelligence, and runs counter to that 
consciousness which to each man is, for him, the 
highest of all evidence. It denies all .freedom of 
will, and obliterates all distinctions between right 
wrong. 

But a Law of Development, as I have defined 
it, admits all the conditions of the problem of life. 
Subordinate to intelligence and will, it accords 
with what consciousness tells me of my own 
actions. 

The Mosaic Cosmogony is a sublime illustration 
of this Law. 
* It represents the world at first without form 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 109 

or solidity, void jmd dark; then, vivified by mo- 
tion, it became self-luminous. To this succeeded 
a non -luminous or planetary condition with days 
and nights. A deposition of water marks a fur- 
ther advance. 

The continents next " appear ; " then a vege- 
tation " of grasses, herbs, and fruit trees " marks 
the culmination of the vegetable kingdom in spe- 
cies most needed for the use of man. After this, 
occurs a climatic change from the monotonous uni- 
formity of the ante-glacial period, to the pleasing 
vicissitudes of seasons, the varying length of days, 
and the long, bright moonlight of winter nights. 
Animal life then culminates in the fauna of to-day. 
Last and crown of all, man appears, with faculties 
capable of dominating all animate nature, and of 
making moral and intellectual progress as yet un- 
limited. 

Here clearly is growth and progress, with a 
unity of plan that characterizes what in all other 
matters we style intelligence. 

For this order and slow growth I can see no 
reason save in the will of the Great First Cause. 
Had such been his pleasure, I can see no good 
reason why our world had not been at once called 
into perfect existence. 

I venture to believe in this controlling Intelli- 
gence, notwithstanding the high authority of Mr. 
Herbert Spencer, who assures us that the propo- 
sition that " an originating Mind is the Cause of 



110 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Evolution" can be entertained so long only as 
" no attempt is made to unite in thought its two 
terms in the alleged relation." * This test de- 
stroys at once all idea of an " originating Mind." 
It bids me believe that the cathedral at Milan is 
not the creation of the " originating mind " of 
the architect, but simply the work of undirected 
forces, a kind of crystallization, for I cannot, even 
" in a dim way, connect his successive states of 
consciousness " with that elaborate structure. I 
cannot "unite in thought" the titillations of the 
expanded end of the optic nerve, with the beauties 
of the landscape, nor the beating of aerial waves 
against the drum of my ear, with the enjoyment 
of hearing. Yet, unable as I am, " even in a dim 
way," " to unite the two terms in the alleged re- 
lation," I know it exists. Science acknowledges 
it, and rejects the proposed text. 

Nor is there necessarily involved, in the idea 
of a personal God, the apparent absurdity which 
Mr. Spencer claims, to wit, that a " single se- 
ries of states of consciousness causes the hundred 
thousand waves that are at this moment curling 

* Compare this assertion of Mr. Spencer with the state- 
ments of another equally high authority in the same school. 
I refer to the statements already quoted from Prof. TyndalFs 
Address before the British Association. 

As far as I can discover, it is the originating Mind that 
these gentlemen (or at least Mr. Spencer) object to. Call it 
an originating " Power" with Prof. Tyndall, or " Ultimate 
Power " with Mr. Spencer, and their objections vanish. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. Ill 

over on the shores, of England." In a sense this 
is no absurdity.* 

It cannot be denied that a pin machine is the 
product of "an originating mind." " A series of 
states of consciousness" was the cause of the 
original machine, and of all others like it, as well 
as of each movement resulting in the formation of 
one pin or a million. Yet we need not, and do 
not, conceive of the inventor as himself pointing 
and heading each one. Mind not only was the 
cause of the machine, but Mind sets it in motion 
in the morning, and stops it at night. During 
the hours of work, Mind is not apparent, save as 
we infer its action from the perfect adaptation of 
the whole to the end in view. Yet the eye of the 

* Revelation tells us, " Not a sparrow falleth to the 
ground without your Father," and " Not one of them is for- 
gotten before God," which Mr. Spencer would tell us is ab- 
surd. But he would see no absurdity, but a physical fact, in 
the assertion that every atom in the falling sparrow affects, 
not merely every atom in our earth, and the immense sun, 
and the more distant planets,_but the remotest fixed star 
whose light, winged at its creation, still speeding on its way, 
has yet to reach our earth. Light, inconceivably swiff, is 
laggard in comparison. Laplace tells us that if gravitation 
be not absolutely instantaneous, it speeds with a velocity at 
least 50,000,000 greater than that of light. 

The light from the nearest fixed star requires three years 
to reach us. Over that inconceivable space, ere one's pulse 
had beaten twice, gravitation would carry the impulse of 
that sparrow's fall. This physical fact is inexpressibly the 
more difficult to believe. 

The Christian Scientist receives both. 



112 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Master is upon every part, and the hand of intelli- 
gence is prompt to guide and control. "Waste, 
damage, utter ruin would soon mark their absence. 

In this Narrative, God is represented as build- 
ing and setting in operation the machinery of our 
world. A series of Divine acts is recorded, and 
thenceforward " God rested from all his work 
which he had been making," and it moves on of 
itself, although the eye of the Master is ever 
upon it, and his hand ready for all needed inter- 
ference. 

The Mosaic view of God's part in the devel- 
opment of the Universe is this : He created 
matter and imparted motion, i. e. the forces pro- 
ducing motion. These forces are sometimes re- 
presented as working in obedience to command, as 
when God said, Let there be light. Sometimes 
he is represented as directly acting. Hence the 
Narrative speaks of God's creating ; of things 
formed without cause assigned ; of things formed 
by or out of matter in obedience to his word. 

Thus in the first verse God creates; in the 
third, God commands the light to be ; but in the 
fourth, God divides the light from the darkness ; 
and in the seventh, again, God made the firma- 
ment. In the ninth verse, natural forces only are 
spoken of : God said, Let the dry land appear ; 
so in the eleventh, he commands the earth to 
bring forth grasses, herbs, and fruit trees, and in 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 113 

the next we are^xrfd, the earth brought them 
forth.* 

In the fourteenth verse God commands such 
changes to occur as produced seasons and varying 
length of days; but in the sixteenth it is said, God 
made the heavenly bodies and appointed them to 
their several offices. Then in verses twenty and 
twenty-one, there is a crossing and recrossing of 
the thread. " God said, Let the waters bring 
forth," and, God created the animals which the 
waters brought forth. 

A similar intermingling of the natural and the 
supernatural is found in verses 24 and 25. God 
said, Let the earth bring forth beasts and cattle, 
and then the account says, God made them. Again, 
in the following verses, God appears as the sole 
creator. " Let us make man," and " so God created 
man." 

In this Narrative, Creation and Development 
meet. The two ideas are so interwoven that 
separation is impossible, without mutual destruc- 
tion. 

The following seems a correct analysis of the 

* I follow the received, version in the use of the formula. 
" Let there be,," • Let the earth bring forth," etc., although 
the Hebrew has for this, properly, only the simple future 
tense. It is rather the announcement that something will 
or shall occur, than a command to the thing itself. 

Such is the wonderful advantage of a purely phenomenal 
statement, that the Greek, Latin, and English translators 
have been unable to seriously warp the text. 



114 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

ante-human history of our globe, as given by Moses, 
and read in the light of present knowledge. 

It assumes as a truth that admits of no ques- 
tion, that the cause of all things is that Being 
whom we call God. Then follows the broad asser- 
tion, taking in the material universe, that God 
created the heavens and the earth. Immediately 
following is a characteristic description of the 
primordial condition of our earth as nebulous, i. e. 
cloudlike, " without form and void,' 1 and by a 
masterly stroke is revealed the fact that our earth 
was yet an integral portion of the Cosmic mass, 
for " darkness was upon the face of the deep," i. e. 
it was prior to the formation of light, which we 
now know occurred before the segregation of our 
world. It tells us that motion came from that same 
First Cause, was communicated to the inert mass, 
and that not till after motion did light appear. 

Again, a master-stroke, and the statement that 
" God divided the light from the darkness," like 
a flash of lightning in a dark night, enables us 
to take our bearings, and we find the nebulous 
condition ended, the earth a solid, non-luminous 
body. 

Once more the scene lights up, and the dash- 
ing waters below, the clouds above, and the open 
space between, tell us that the world has reached 
a temperature when life begins to be possible. 

Next the Continents are upheaved, and the 
seas gathered into their appointed places. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 115 

Vegetable life,^which began so early, culminated 
in grasses, herbs, and fruit trees, in the same epoch 
in which the Continents reached their full devel- 
opment, marking, too, the close of the ancient type 
of climate. 

In the next epoch, whatever may have occurred, 
this much is certain, that the world came out of it 
with the modern type of climate, the intense heat 
of summer sharply contrasting with the cold of 
winter. p 

Following this climatic change was a fauna 
characterized by fowl and water creatures, which 
the waters brought forth abundantly. 

Afterward, the land fauna culminated in " the 
beasts, cattle and creeping things " of species now 
living. 

During this last epoch man appeared. 

If this is a correct analysis of the statements 
recorded in Genesis, how, I would ask Prof. Tyn- 
dall, are "our ideas of the Universe and its 
Author improved by the abandonment of the 
Mosaic Account of Creation V 

Na} r , in all seriousness I would ask, does not 
" the abandonment of the Mosaic Account of 
Creation" necessitate the abandonment of Science 
itself? 

Surely the Nebular Hypothesis is utterly ex- 
ploded, if the earth was never " without form and 
void." 

The Correlation of Forces is only a beautiful 



116 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

figment of the imagination, if Moses did not record 
a physical truth when he wrote that, prior to mo- 
tion, " darkness was upon the face of the deep." 

The Undulatorj Theory of Light must fall 
with the Correlation of Forces, if it is not true, as 
Moses says, that light in order of time came after 
the impartation of motion. 

The laws of heat, the expansion of water into 
vapor, the capacity of gases for moisture, as af- 
fected by temperature, all are a delusion, if the 
oceans were not once suspended above the earth 
in the atmosphere, and if it is not true, as Moses 
says, that there came a time when " an open space 
(firmament) divided the waters which were under 
it from the waters above it." 

The record of Geology is a series of " beautiful 
myths and stories," if Genesis is romancing when 
it says the development of the continents was 
subsequent to the deposition of the waters. 

Geography has egregiously blundered if Gene- 
sis is wrong when it asserts that the waters were 
gathered into " one place." * 

Physical Geography is unreliable if Moses errs 
when he wrote that the arrangement of the land 
and the water was " good." 

Geology deserves to be classed with the effete 
Sciences found in the sacred books of the Hindus, 
if it be a physical falsehood that the completion 
of the emergence of the land occurred in the 
same epoch as the culmination of the vegetable 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 117 

kingdom in Angiosperms and Palms, that is in 
" the tree yielding fruit whose seed is in itself." 

" Uniformity of Law " is as baseless as Geo- 
logy, if the uniform types of plants " luxuriantly 
flourishing" in all latitudes prior to the comple- 
tion of the land and culmination of vegetation 
(toward the end of the Tertiary) do not indicate 
a climate differing exceedingly in the uniformity 
of light and heat from the climate of to-day. 

Does, then, Moses err when he says that after 
that epoch the sun and moon were to be for signs 
and for seasons, for days and for years ? 

If so, then Geology has again proved its own 
unreliability, for it certainly has told us that in 
those earlier days there were "no zones of cli- 
mate," and I think the evidence abundant that 
there were no zones of light. Certainly there 
were no seasons. 

Geology tells of a period of intense cold, when 
ice covered the earth from the poles far down 
toward the equator, and that this followed the 
period of vegetable .culmination. After the Cli- 
matic change Moses places a fauna of water crea- 
tures and fowl. If Moses errs here, then Uni- 
formity of Law is an unsafe guide or the accounts 
of the Circumpolar fauna are false. 

The record of Geology is not true if Moses 
errs when he places the development of living 
cattle and beasts, and many other creatures, 
subsequent to "grasses, herbs, and fruit trees," 



118 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

subsequent to the climatic change introducing 
seasons and "zones of climate," subsequent to the 
post-glacial water fauna. 

Paleontology is not a true Witness if "living 
species of fish, reptile, bird, or mammal," were in 
existence before or during the epoch of grasses, 
herbs, and fruit trees, or before the epoch of cli- 
matic change. 

Gravity and Optics, the one claiming through 
mathematical Astronomy to demonstrate the el- 
liptic orbits of the Stars, the other, through the 
Spectroscope, professing to give us reliable infor- 
mation as to their constitution, have joined this 
conspiracy to deceive mankind ; nay, the very 
elements have abetted the plot by wilfully giving 
spectrum-lines identical with those from the Stars, 
if it be false that the " Stars also " have the same 
origin as the Sun, Moon and Earth. 

However much the reader may reject from 
what is here claimed to be the teachings of 
Science, enough will remain to justify the asser- 
tion that Astronomy, Geology, and every branch 
of knowledge bearing upon the origin, early con- 
dition, and order of development of oilr world, 
must be. placed among " the myths and beautiful 
stories " of the past, if the statements recorded by 
Moses are false. 

Science cannot reject this Narrative without 
committing suicide. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 119 



COMPARISON OF THE TWO RECORDS. 



To aid in comparing the two Records, I have 
placed in parallel columns the facts ascertained by 
Scientists and the statements made by Moses. In 
both are great blank intervals. Where these oc- 
cur only in Genesis I have written under that 
column "silent," where they occur in both I have 
made no remark. 

The harmony between the two becomes the 
more wonderful when we reflect that the men who 
made these discoveries were unconscious of their 
bearing upon the Bible account, and too often 
thought they were diligently and successfully 
laboring for its overthrow. 

The history of the Earth may properly be 
divided into two grand Periods, the Cosmic and 
the Telluric. The former is equally applicable to 
all the systems in the Universe. The latter I 
have subdivided into two portions, of which the 
first is, in like manner, the history of all systems 
where planets have been evolved. The second is 
the development of our own world, and ' is ap- 
plicable to no other planet. 



120 



GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 



THE COSMIC PERIOD. 



AS TO THE ORIGIN OF MATTER. 



What Scientists say : 

The Universe is not eternal. It 
has its origin in the " First Cause," 
or " the Unknown Source of 
things." (Herbert Spencer.) 

Tyndall says: "A Power in- 
scrutable to the human intellect. 
There is no very rank materialism 
here." 



What Genesis says : 
Ver. 1. In the beginning God 
created the heavens and the earth. 



ITS PRIMORDIAL CONDITION. 



The earth (and solar system) 
was, at first, a nebulous, i. e. cloud- 
like, mass, not solid, but mobile. 



Ver. 2. The earth was without 
form, and void. (Not solid, but 
easily flowing, translated by." wa- 
ters.") 



AS TO LIGHT. 



Prior to motion light was im- 
possible ; darkness enveloped 
everything. 



Darkness was upon the face of 
the deep. 



AS TO THE ORIGIN OF FORCES AND MOTION. 



Nothing is known of this. It 
can only be referred to the same 
First Cause, " the Unknown Source 
of things ' ' — the ' ' Inscrutable 
Power." 



The Spirit of God moved upon 
the face of the waters (i. e. the 
flowing mobile mass). 



The first visible effect of motion 
was the giving forth of light. 

It was perfect. 



AS TO EFFECT OF MOTION. 

Ver. 3. And there was light. 



God saw it was good. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 



121 



THE TELLURIC PERIOD 

DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS. 

1. THE ANTE-LIFE PERIOD, OR IGNEOUS PERIOD. 

2. THE LIFE PERIOD, OR AQUEOUS PERIOD. 



ANTE-LIFE PERIOD. 
IGNEOUS ACTION DOMINANT. 



The earth, was segregated from 
the great Cosmic, Nebulous Mass, 
and axial revolution began. 

After this segregation our world 
was a luminous vapor, or a comet, 
then a sphere of molten lava, con- 
tinuing in each condition to emit 
light, as do Jupiter and Saturn now. 

The continued radiation of the 
earth's heat reduced its tempera- 
ture at last, so far that a crust was 
formed on its surface, which, after 
a sufficient time, entirely stopped 
the radiation of light. 



Silent. 



Silent. 



Silent. 



DAY AND NIGHT EPOCH. 



After this, for the first time in 
the history of our planet, light 
ceased to be universal, and there 
was a division between the light 
and the darkness, caused, as now, 
by the opaque body of the earth. 

This was the beginning (not of 
axial revolution, but) of Day and 
Night. On the- light side of the 
earth it was day while on the oppo- 
site it was night. 

In the earliest epochs, the days 
and nights were equal. 



Ver. 4. And God divided the 
light from the darkness. 



Ver. 5. And God callod the light 
Day, and the darkness he called 

Night. 



The evening was (equal to one 
day) and the morning was (equal to) 
one day. 



122 



GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 



CONDITION OF THE EAKTH IN THE INTERVAL BETWEEN 
THE BEGINNING OF DATS AND NIGHTS AND THE DE- 
POSITION OF WATER. 



For an unknown length of time 
the surface of the earth was too 
hot for the water to descend upon 
it, even as rain ; but at last the 
super-heated invisible vapor be- 
came clouds or mist. 



Chap. 2. Vv. 5, 6. "When the 
Lord God had not caused it to rain 
upon the earth, but there went up 
a mist from the earth and watered 
the whole face of the ground." 



LIFE PERIOD. 
Geology tells of two divisions of our world's ante-human 
history : the first characterized by uniformity of climate ; 
the second by variety. 

THE FIRST OR UNIFORM CLIMATE PERIOD. 

AQUEOUS ACTION BECOMES DOMINANT. 



Continued cooling at last 
brought a temperature sufficiently 
low to permit the waters to be 
deposited and remain upon the 
surface of the earth, and in conse- 
quence the air became so far cleared 
that the clouds were confined to its 
upper region, leaving an open space 
below them, and above the all-cov- 
ering ocean. 

Although this was done, yet 
from this time to a far later period, 
certainly till after the Carbonifer- 
ous Age, the purification of the 
atmosphere was too incomplete to 
permit the higher orders of animals 
to breathe it. 



After this deposition, the air, 
although loaded with carbonic acid, 
was sufficiently clear to permit the 
free transmission of light, and for 
the first time the glories of the sky 
were visible from the earth's sur- 
face. The deposition affected both 
hemispheres. 



Ver. 7. And God made an open 
space (or expanse) and divided the 
waters that were under the open 
space from the waters which were 
above the expanse. 



"And it was so." 

Note the absence of the usual 
formula of perfect completion. It 
is not pronounced "good." The 
writer merely adds, " and it was 
so," i. e. the open space was formed 
and the waters were deposited. He 
thus avoids chronological overlap- 
ping. 

Ver. 8. And God called the open 
expanse heaven. 



'Twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing, the second day. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 



123 



After this the continents were 
upheaved* and the sealTgathered 
into their places. 



The land is made up of large and 
small portions separated from each 
other by seas ; but the waters, both 
seas and oceans, are really only one 
great body, with names for differ- 
ent parts. 

The arrangement of the land and 
water is surpassingly wise. 

During the ever-growing " ap- 
pearance " of the dry land the world 
was well peopled with the strange 
old forms of ancient life. Unnum- 
bered races of plants and animals 
appeared, flourished, and disap- 
peared, in an upward progression. 

At last vegetation reached its 
culmination in the "grasses, herbs, 
and fruit trees." 



The highest order of plants 
the Angiosperms, which bear 
fruit enclosing the seed. 



Ver. 9. God said, Let the wa- 
ters under the heaven be gathered 
into one place, and let the dry land 
appear. 

Ver. 9. God said, Let the waters 
under the heaven be gathered into 
one place. 



Ver. 10. And God Baw it was 
good. 



Silent. 



Ver. 12. And the earth brought 
forth grass, and the herb yielding 
seed after his kind, and the tree 
yielding fruit whose seed was in it- 
self, after his kind. 

Culmination in the " tree yield- 
ing fruit, the seed of which was in 

it." 



* " Upheaved." Thus I wrote, but on reflection I saw physical objec- 
tions to the word which, by a better selection, the author of Genesis had 
avoided. 

The Record of the Rocks plainly intimates that the elevation of the 
dry land was no sudden movement, but had been going on during the 
previous epochs of cooling surface and falling water. When Geology 
first takes account of the continents, they are already lofty submarine 
plateaux, with here and there a projecting point of azoic rock, and 
needed to continue their upward movement at most a few hundred feet 
In order " to appear." 

I have left the word as I wrote it, since it illustrates the surpassingly 
wise choice of words in the Mosaic Account. How wise that is can never 
be fully known until we know all the facts of the earth's primeval his- 
tory. 



124 



GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 



These two great events, to wit, 
the completion of the continents in 
their full development, and the pre- 
ponderance of grasses, herbs, and 
fruit trees, occurred in the same 
Geologic Period, the Pliocene. 

These events affected hoth hemi- 
spheres. 



Vv. 9-13. The Author has 
placed these events in the same 
period, for after announcing the 
verdict of completion he names hut 
one day, " the third," in reference 
to both. 

'Twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing the third day. 



LIFE PERIOD. 

THE SECOND PART OF THE LIFE PERIOD, OR THAT 
CHARACTERIZED BY VARIETY OF CLIMATE. 



After the Pliocene came the 
epoch of the Glaciers. 

During its continuance such 
changes occurred as resulted in the 
modern type of climate with sea- 
sons and unequal days and nights, 
the former giving an easy and na- 
tural measurement of years. 

The Sun and Moon are not in 
themselves lights in the sense in 
which "Light" is used in Ver. 3, 
as most ancient and mediaeval phi- 
losophers believed. 

The ohliquity of the Earth's 
axis, the cause of seasons and un- 
equal days and nights, does not 
affect the length of a lunar revolu- 
tion. 

The lines of the spectroscope, 
as well as the forms of the stellar 
orbits, show that the stars are com- 
posed of the same materials, and 
are subject to the same laws, as 
our earth, moon, and sun, and 
hence have a common origin. 

This change affected hoth hemi- 
spheres. 

During the decadence of the 
Glaciers, the conditions of moisture 



Silent. 



Ver. 14. And God said, Let the 
lights in the firmament of heaven be 
to divide between the day and the 
night, and let them be for signs and 
for seasons, and for days and years 
. . . and it was so. 



Light givers, 
light bearers. 



light emitters, 



By what would once have seemed 
an unnatural omission of months, 
the Author avoids a blunder and 
shows his thorough knowledge of 
the subject. 

Ver. 16. And God made two 
lights (the greater light to rule the 
day, the lesser light to rule the 
night). He made the stars also. 



'Twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing the fourth day. 



Silent. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 



125 



and temperature must^have been 
nearly identical with those which 
now exist in frigid or sub-frigid 
regions. Hence, in harmony with 
Uniformity of Law, we should ex- 
pect a fauna similar to that now 
found in such places, i. e. an abun- 
dance of fish, sea-mammalia, fowl, 
and tiny molusks. 

Although, at first, the fauna 
must have been solely sub-frigid 
or frigid, yet as warmth extended, 
other water animals and other birds 
made their appearance, till every 
species now living occupied its 
proper place. 

This stage of progress affected 
both hemispheres. 

The waters, during the period of 
the melting glaciers, were compara- 
tively soon ready for animal life, 
but the land required a longer time 
for preparation. It is therefore 
certain that land animals, such as 
the cattle and beasts of to-day, ap- 
peared after the water fauna. In 
reference to man and his interests, 
the animal world culminates in 
cattle, beasts, and insect life of to- 
day. 

Man appeared last, and is supe- 
rior to all. He is gifted with intel- 
ligence and moral powers. 

It is impossible to overestimate 
the excellence and wisdom display- 
ed in the works of Creation. 

This also affected both hemi- 
spheres. 

No new animal or plant has ap- 
peared since the epoch of Man's 
Creation. 



Ver. 30. God said, Let the wa- 
ters bring forth abundantly the 
moving creature that hath life, and 
fowl that may fly above the earth. 

Ver. 21. And God created great 
whales, and every living creature 
that moveth, which the waters 
brought forth abundantly after 
their kind, and every winged fowl 
after his kind. 



'Twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing the fifth day. 



Ver. 25. God made the beast of 
the earth after his kind, and cattle 
after their kind, and everything 
that creepeth upon the earth after 
his kind. 



At the very end of all, the account 
says : " So God created man in his 
own likeness." 

Ver. 31. And God saw every- 
thing that he had made, and behold 
it was all very good. 

'Twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing the sixth day. 

Chap. 11. Vv. 1, 2. Thus the 
heavens and the earth were finished 
and all the hont of them. And on 
the seventh day God rested from all 
his work which he had made. 



126 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

If from the second column the word " God " be 
struck out, and an abstraction be substituted such 
as " Nature," or " Law," or " Evolution," or that 
new and eminently theophobic word, "Dynamis," 
there will remain an account of the early history 
of our planet from the stand-point of extreme 
Positivism, in language at once simple, exact, and 
comprehensive. 

It will aid in estimating the value of the evi- 
dence arising from the identity of the Science of 
Genesis with the latest acquirements of the Stu- 
dents of Nature, to note how the learning of a 
much later period bears the test of new discoveries. 

Some fifty years ago, the learned men of that 
day essayed to write a work which should include 
the circle of knowledge. They produced the 
Encyclopaedia Britannica. When near its com- 
pletion four or five men distinguished for large 
acquirements and profound intellects, were se- 
lected to prepare introductory disquisitions which 
should embody the latest results and the choicest 
philosophy of the age. 

Among them I find Sir John Leslie thus dis- 
coursing of the interior of our earth : * 

" The vast subterranean cavity (of the earth) 
must be filled with a very diffused medium of 
astonishing elasticity. The only fluid of which 
we know, possessing this characteristic is light. 
The great concavity may thus be filled with the 
* Vol. I. Ency. Brit., page 792. 



THE NEW WITNESSES. 127 

purest ethereal-essence, Light, in its most concen- 
trated state, and shining with intense refulgence 
and overpowering splendor" ! 

Again we read, " But scattered over the im- 
mensity there may exist bodies which by their mag- 
nitude and predominant attraction, retain or re- 
call the rays of light, and are lost in solitude 
and darkness. Had the velocity of the lumin- 
ous particles not exceeded four hundred miles 
in a second, we should never have enjoyed the 
cheerful beams of the Sun. They would have 
been arrested in their journey and drawn back to 
their source before they reached the planet Mer- 
cury. A star similar to our Sun, and having a 
diameter sixty-three times as great, would entirely 
overpower the impetus of light " ! ! 

If anything can exceed the certainty of his 
conclusions, it is the exactness of his mathematics ! 

Should the successors of such theorizers look 
down upon the Bible, and by their surmises and 
logic bar God out of His own world ? reason Him 
out of His personality ? bind Him in the swad- 
dling-bands of the "Unconditioned," and make 
Him the only helpless being in the universe ? 

Nay, let them expend some of their acumen 
upon this fact, that a Hebrew prophet, a Hebrew 
Sheik if they please, amid a wandering, pastoral, 
semi-barbarous people, wrote from the depths of 
his own consciousness, or from a supernatural 
source, a philosophical treatise so profound that 



128 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

no plummet has sounded it, clear as the waters 
from a -spring, broad as the foundations of the 
universe. 

In view of these harmonies, I submit that 
instead of " new meanings being necessary to make 
the beautiful myths and stories of the Bible square 
with Science," * the necessity has always been on 
the other side, and Science has but just struggled 
into a position, unwittingly I admit, where for the 
first time since her birth she has been able to ap- 
proach the heights on which the Author of this 
Narrative stood four thousand years ago. 

Since the chaos of Scientific Theories has 
crystallized into an order that accords with the 
opening Chapter of the Bible, may it not be hoped, 
in serious parody of Prof. Tyndall's words, that 
the time is not far distant when the best informed 
of our Philosophers shall admit that their views 
of the Universe and its Author are not improved 
by abandoning the Mosaic Account of Creation ? 

How far Moses himself understood the full 
meaning of the words he wrote, it does not per- 
tain to my argument to inquire. 

But as we are elsewhere told, the sacred writers 
desired to understand those things whereof they 
wrote, so I doubt not Moses learned all that was 
then possible. 

* Tyndall, Forms of Water, page 150. 



RESUME OF GENESIS. 129 



RESUME. 

I now propose to tabulate the facts plainly 
etated in, or logically deduced from, the first 
chapter of Genesis. They have already been con- 
sidered in detail. 

God the Source and Creator. 

The earth had a beginning. 

Primordially it was without form, void, not 
solid. 

Prior to motion, darkness was upon the whole. 

Motion is due to same Power as matter. 

Light the first visible result of motion. 

Light was perfected at that early epoch. 

Light divided from the darkness, by the non- 
luminous earth. 

" The evening " was equal to " the morning ; " 
hence the earth's axis was nearly or quite perpen- 
dicular to the ecliptic* 

This division of light from darkness was the 
first day on our planet. 

The water was deposited and the air became 
transparent. 

This deposition and transparency were com 
pleted for all the globe simultaneously. 

The land emerges. 

The waters were gathered into one place. 

* See Part III. 



130 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Vegetation culminated in the highest orders. 

This vegetation (that of the Pliocene) was one 
" good " for present fauna, and was completed for 
the whole globe. 

These two events, the emergence of the land, 
and the culmination of vegetation, occurred in the 
same epoch. 

A great climatic change, introducing seasons, 
and unequal days and nights, came next. 

The climati'c arrangement (seasons, etc.) was 
then perfected, and was world-wide. 

The Sun and Moon are not concrete masses of 
light, but simply luminaries.* 

The stars have the same origin as the Solar 
System. 

This climatic change was followed by a fauna 
of " living " species of water creatures and fowl. 

This fauna is eminently gifted in the power of 
abundantly multiplying. 

This fauna was then completed. 

It was a world-wide completion. 

After the water fauna and water fowl ap- 
peared present species of land animals, including 
the living beasts and cattle. 

This fauna was eminently " good." 

This introduction of modern species was world- 
wide. 

Man Appears, 
and is the world-wide completion of the whole. 

* Compare with this Sir John Leslie's Science, already 
quoted from the British Ency. 



RESUME OF GENESIS. 131 

. A cessatioo-o£ new developments, whether in- 
organic, vegetable, or animal. 

I ask the reader's careful attention to these 
facts in the light of all the Science he can bring to 
bear upon them ; and while I dare not flatter my- 
self that my analysis is in each particular correct, 
yet, after all deductions, so much remains as to 
make it worthy of most serious consideration. 

These statements have been upon the Record 
nearly four thousand years. How came they 
there ? Moses could have obtained them from no 
human source. There is, therefore, not an " In- 
scrutable Power " merely, but a Being who cares 
enough for Man to give him a Revelation. This 
Being has shown himself so truthful in regard to 
every point on which it is possible to test his 
statements, that we are, by the laws of our minds, 
compelled to receive his evidence in its entirety, 
and when he assures us that it is a personal God 
that created the heavens and the earth, there is no 
escaping the conclusion that this, too, is truth. 



FACTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD DERIVED 
FROM THE TWO RECORDS, 

Showing the Philosophical division into six great 
stages of development, each complete in itself. 

Note. — The figures in brackets refer to the 
corresponding verses in Genesis. 



132 genesis and science. 

(1.) God the Fiest Cause and Source. 

first, or preparatory epoch. 

(2.) A nebulous mass, without form, void, 
fluid, inert, dark. Temperature that of interstellar 
space. 

Motion imparted. Activity commences. Tem- 
perature rises. 

(4.) The nebulous mass emits light. Tempera- 
ture far above 1000°. 

Nebula becomes spheroidal ; revolution com- 
mences. 

Planets begin to be evolved. 

Earth and Moon take form as a nebulous sphe- 
roid. 

The Moon segregated from the earth ; falling 
temperature. 

The Earth becomes a sphere of liquid lava ; 
. temperature still falling. 

The Earth, becoming cooled below 1000°, is 
covered with a dark, solid crust, and ceases to 
emit light. 

(4, 5.) Day and night begin ; are equal. Axis 
inclined about 5°. 

This marks the close of the preparations for a 
true (i. e. non-luminous) planetary development. 
The " One day " of Genesis. 

Close of First Epoch, or 

that of general preparations. No new creation 
since of matter or force. 



THE SIX EPOCHS OF CREATION. 133 

SECOND EPOCH BEGINS. 

Surface temperature below 1000° and still 
falling. 

Igneous action only. Geological Record not 
yet begun. 

Combined igneous and aqueous action. Geol- 
ogy begins in Azoic Rocks. Temperature falling 
toward 212°. 

(6, 7.) Water deposited. Temperature below 
212°. The air becomes transparent. Light begins 
to act. 

This ends the epoch, as is announced, for the 
entire globe, and the day of that announcement is 
the Second Epochal Day. 

Close of Second Epoch, 

or that of full preparation for joint action of water 
and light. Nothing more done since in that direc- 
tion. 

THIRD EPOCH BEGINS. 

Aqueous action dominant ; climate uniform 
from pole to pole ; temperature below 212°, and 
falling. Stratified Azoic Rocks forming. 

(9.) Land begins to appear, and about the same 
time the lowest orders of animal and vegetable 
life. Carbonic acid is taken from the air and 
deposited as coal or as carbonates. Archaic and 
Paleozoic fossiliferous strata form. 

Emergence of the land continues ; organic life 
expands into the first development of Angiosperms 



134: GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

and Palms. Cretaceous Period, Temperature 
tropical. 

(10-12.) Land fully developed. Waters all 
connected into one. 

Vegetation fully developed in predominance of 
grasses, herbs, and fruit trees (Angiosperms and 
Palms). Latter part of the Tertiary Period. 

Temperature moderate ; as yet no seasons. 

The day of the announcement of these last de- 
velopments, world-wide in its extent, was the third 
Epochal Day. 

Close of Third Epoch, or 

that of inorganic and vegetable development. No 
continental development and no higher orders of 
vegetation since. 

EOJJJtTBZ EPOCH BEGINS. 

Temperature rapidly falls to below 32°. The 
end of ancient type of climate. 

(14-18.) Era of axial (or other change) pre- 
paratory for and introducing modern type of 
climate, with seasons and unequal days and nights. 
Glacial Period. (16.) Note. He who made the 
Sun, Moon, and Earth, made the Stars also. 

(19.) The day of the announcement of com- 
pletion of preparations for modern type of climate 
(axis inclined 23|-°), extending over the whole 
Earth, was the fourth Epochal Day. 

Close of Fourth Epoch, or 

that of Climatic development. No change since 
in that direction. 



THE SIX EPOCHS OF CREATION. 135 

FIFTH EPOCH BEGINS. 

(20-22.) The ice of the Glaciers begins to 
melt. Close of Glacial Period and beginning of 
Champlain Period. . . 

(25.) Appearance of fauna of " living " water 
creatures and fowl. Announcement of comple- 
tion of " development " of water creatures and 
fowl for all the world. 

The day in which this was done was the fifth 
Epochal Day. 

Close of Fifth Epoch, or 

that of water fauna. No higher development of 
water fauna has since occurred. 

SIXTH EPOCH BEGINS. 

Temperature somewhat warmer than the 
present. 

(24-25.) Culmination of land animals in " liv- 
ing " species of beasts, cattle, etc., in latter part 
of Quaternary Age. 

(26.) Man appears very late in the Quaternary 
Age. Present temperature, nearly. 

Announcement of entire completion of the 
whole plan over all the earth. The day this oc- 
curred was the sixth Epochal Day. 

Close of Sixth Epoch, or 

that of final culmination, in the Mammalia, and in 
Man. 
~No higher animal development has since oc- 
curred. 



CHAPTER V. 

ON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF GENESIS. 

SINCE the truth or falsehood of the opening 
Chapter of G-enesis is independent of all that 
comes after it, being capable of verification by 
itself, I had thought not to speak of the Second. 
But the one casts light upon the other, so that the 
omission of either leaves the subject incomplete, 
and, indeed, in part unintelligible. 

The first three verses of this chapter are clearly 
a part of the preceding account. As to the fourth, 
fifth, sixth, and perhaps the seventh, there is 
among Bible students a difference of opinion, 
some regarding them as the end of the first ac- 
count, others, as the beginning of the second. 
To me it appears that they are both, partaking of 
the characteristics of each, connecting the two, the 
Elohistie and the Jehovistic, by an indissoluble 
bond, affirming that the God of creation and the 
Jehovah-God, or the God of the Covenant, are one. 

There is here, moreover, the same surpassingly 
wise choice of words. " These are the generations 
of the heavens and of the earth," or, as others 
translate it, "These are the genealogies," etc. 
The sense is the same. 



GENESIS, CHAPTER IT. 137 

There is a wealth of meaning in this phrase. 
I know of no words that convey so much, so ac- 
curately as these. If the Author had said, " this 
is the history of the heavens and the earth," or, 
" this is the chronology of the heavens and the 
earth," he would barely have told us of events in 
succession. But " generations " implies that in 
the strongest possible manner, with the added 
information of a serial development, a depend- 
ence, an outgrowth, one stage of progress the 
result of that which preceded, and in these com- 
bined the highest scientific summation of the 
results of human knowledge. 

On the use of " day," in the fourth verse, I 
have already spoken. 

The remainder of this connecting bond, v. 5, 
v. 6, condenses all before Adam into a few lines, 
cramped and foreshortened by the small space 
into which the story is compressed. The writer, 
then, starting with the creation of man, v. 7, gives 
a more extended account of various events which 
took place in the last creative epoch. 

In these verses (4-7) the Author sets forth the 
Lord God's universal creatorship, from the great- 
est, i. e. " the heavens and the earth," to the least, 
i. e. to " the plants in the field," and then his 
eternity, as shown by the remoteness of the crea- 
tion. It was before the plants were in the earth, 
or herbs began to grow, before man appeared to' 
till the ground. 



138 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

In the fulness of his overflowing knowledge, 
the Author interjects a clause which no man be- 
fore the present century could comprehend. He 
says " it was before there was any rain upon the 
earth, when the earth was clothed in mists," i. e. 
far back in the remote epoch before the earth had 
so far cooled as to permit of rain, before the firma- 
ment had divided the waters, before Geology 
begins to compute its Cosmic Chronology. Then, 
passing by a natural transition from one extreme 
to the other, he comes to this end of creation and 
tells us all we can ever know of the formation of 
Adam, after which he records certain subsequent 
events, closing with the institution of marriage.* 

In the following paraphrase I have endeavored 
to bring out more fully what appears to be the 
meaning of these verses. In the fifth verse I 
have substituted " when " in place of " for." It 
is very difficult to see any force in the causative 
conjunction. An examination of the original will 
show that the reader is not limited to that signi- 
fication, since the same word is often used as an 
adverb of time, and is so translated in many 
places. Examine Genesis iv. 12, and Job vii. 
13. These are sufficient to show the usage. The 
identical word rendered in the Second Chapter 
of Genesis " for," is, in the cases referred to, ren- 
dered " when." Hence, evidently, the reader is 

* See Part II. for an article on the chronological arrange- 
ment of these two Chapters. 



GENESIS, CHAPTER II. 139 

at liberty to use~the meaning which, in view of all 
the facts, appears to him the best. 

PARAPHRASE. 

" These statements in the first Chapter, are the 
generations of the heavens and the earth, setting 
forth the order in which (i. e. when) they were 
created, in the day (time unlimited) the Lord 
God made all things, even the earth and the 
heavens, the extremes of greatness, down to the 
least, even every plant of the field, going bach into 
the eternity before it (the plant) was in the earth, 
and every herb of the field before it grew, bach to 
that remote period when the Lord God had not 
caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not 
a man to till the ground, but a mist went up to 
water the whole face of the earth." Passing over 
all the intermediate ages, the Author comes down 
to the creation of man, and says, " And the Lord 
God formed man out of the dust of the ground, 
and he breathed into his nostrils the breath of 
life, and man became a living soul." 

All agree that Man is formed out of the dust 
of the ground, that into his nostrils is breathed 
the breath of life, and that he is a living soul. 
To this Science can add nothing, but busies itself 
with considering whether the dust was taken 
directly from the ground, or mediately through 
ordinary generation, by some beast, either in em- 
bryo or in youth ; and if, as so many now claim, 



140 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

the latter be the truth, whether this change from 
a brute to a man was due to a greater or less 
abundance of food, or to something else affecting 
the vitality of the parent beasts. The advocates 
of this theory of the evolution of man from 
a beast, here divide into two parties, the one 
referring this upward development to an Intel- 
ligent Power, the other acknowledging a Power, 
but ignoring all intelligence or other indication 
of personality. These suppose that all evolution 
comes either by chance or by the action of a law 
implanted in the Cosmic atoms in the origin 
of the universe. This law of evolution, they 
claim, produced an infinite number of orders and 
classes and species, previous to the historic period, 
but since that it has ceased to act, resembling 
some birds that will not lay if watched. 

The narrative offers in the eighth verse, a state- 
ment that seems directly antagonistic to our pre- 
vious beliefs, but, if "it means just what it says," 
marvelously in harmony with results of modern 
scientific investigation, results arrived at within 
the life of the present generation. 

Yerse eighth reads, " And the Lord God 
planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he 
put the man he had formed. (Y. 9.) And out of 
the ground the Lord God made to grow every 
tree that is pleasant to sight and good for food," 
etc. 

From this it follows, that the creation of plants 



GENESIS, CHAPTER II. 141 

did not cease at ttuf close of the third period, and 
that in Eden at least, there was a special centre of 
plant creation. If there was one, may there not 
have been others ? and is not such a fact emi- 
nently in harmony with the modern scientific 
belief, that plants and animals (v. 19) were created 
not all in one place, but at various centres scat- 
tered over the world \ 

There were also planted in the midst of the 
Garden, two mysterious trees. Of one, the name 
only is given, the tree of life, and afterward it is 
spoken of as if it had power to make our first 
parents " live for ever." As to this, I have no 
explanations to offer or suggestions to make. I 
accept the account as true, however, on the ground 
that One who has told vera verissima, the great 
truths of earth's primeval history, had no occasion 
to err in this. 

I may, however, say that, although we know 
of no tree that heals all diseases, we do know of 
one that heals very many, and that, furthermore, 
no chemist knows why the bark of the Peruvian 
tree heals so many ailments, nor can he affirm that 
God exhausted his power when he created it. 

As to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and 
Evil, we know the sad story. Certainly there is 
no impossibility in such a test of obedience, and 
as to the dignity or worthiness of such a trial, 
that is not a question for us to decide, and surely 
it has no bearing on the truth of the narrative. 



142 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Yv. 10-14. The writer mentions four rivers, 
which to those familiar with the geography of 
that country, sufficiently indicated the position of 
the Garden. Two of these we can now identify, 
the other two may have been two arms into which 
the Euphrates may have divided, as do the Nile, 
Ganges, and many other rivers; or they may 
have been simply the shores of the Persian Gulf, 
running off like river banks, to the right and left, 
as so ably argued by Prof. Tayler Lewis in 
Lange's Commentary. 

Yv. 15-17. In these I find statements on which 
science has no bearing, and consequently cannot 
affect this argument. I will, however, say that I 
see in them nothing inconsistent with the phi- 
losophy of the mind or the relation of God as a 
Father to his children. On some future occasion, 
I hope to speak more fully on this subject. 

Y. 18. " It is not good for man to be alone." 
Science and reason reaffirm this truth. A com- 
panion is necessary for man's highest develop- 
ment. 

Y. 19. In this we are told that "out of the 
ground the Lord God formed every beast of the 
field, and every fowl of the air." That this is a 
different creation from the one spoken of in the 
previous chapter (vv. 20, 25) is certain, because 
these are all land animals, or at least &m<#-formed, 
while the fowl in the other account are water-fowl, 
or at least the waters brought them forth. 



GENESIS, CHAPTER n. 143 

V. 20. Adamrgives names to all cattle, beasts 
of the field, and fowls of the air. Nouns pre- 
cede other parts of speech. Adam had all the ap- 
paratus for speaking. This was merely the occa- 
sion for its use. Brutes lack this power, and no 
opportunity however favorable, no need however 
great, has yet developed it. 

I suppose all Scientists will admit the truth, 
that among all these beasts there was not found 
" an help meet for man." 

Vv. 21-22. In these is given an account of 
the formation of woman from a rib taken from 
Adam. 

Mysterious as this appears, its mysteriousness 
is in its uniqueness, and not in any intrinsic quality 
of its own. It is strictly in accordance with the 
processes of life as revealed by modern scientific 
research. 

Only two modes of propagation are known, 
the one requiring the coexistence of two individuals 
of opposite sexual characteristics, the other by 
" fission " spontaneous or artificial.* Indeed, the 
former in the last analysis of microscopic investi- 
gation is only a form of the latter. 

Generation by " fission " is now constantly 
going on in many of the lower orders of animals 
as well as in the propagation of plants by cut- 
tings. 

* If monogamic generation exists, it is only apparent, for 
there is in all cases really a duality of formation, two indi- 
viduals joined into one. 



144: GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Adam was the only one of the race. The 
Divine Worker, in accordance with his habit of 
working through his laws, chose the only method 
in existence among his creatures, which the nature 
of the case rendered possible, a method which He 
himself had introduced into the world, and with 
which He was infinitely familiar. So from a por- 
tion of Adam, "a rib," "made He a woman." 
A miracle indeed, but a miracle conforming as far 
as the conditions permitted to methods already in 
use. 

After this follows the gift of Eve to Adam, 
his reception of her as bone of his bone and flesh 
of his flesh. 

A statement of the intimate union of the con- 
jugal relation, and of the purity and innocence of 
the pair, closes the chapter. 

This ends the history of Creation. 



PART II 



CONTAINING EIGHT STUDIES ON THE 

THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF GENESIS 

IN WHICH 

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TRUTHFULNESS OF THEIR 
STATEMENTS IS ASSUMED 



As Astronomers will soon study the photographs of the coming 
Transit, applying to them the micrometer and microscope, to test old 
theories and to develop new ones, so have I studied, as I was able, these 
logographs of an ante-human world. 

See note, page 48. 



A HARMONY 

OF. 

THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 

THE two accounts are here arranged chrono- 
logically, with an attempt to indicate intervals 
of time by blank spaces between the paragraphs. 
Of the duration of these, Moses gives no intima- 
tion, and I gather it wholly from God's other 
Record. This much, however, is certain, the an- 
nouncement or command, " Let it be so and so," 
marks the beginning of a creative epoch, as the 
words, " and it was so," or " God saw it was good," 
mark its close. After these there is some remark 
added, either as an additional fact (v. 4, 5, and v. 8, 
v. 10), or a more explicit statement of the work done 
(v. 12, v. 21, 22, 25); or repeating and enlarging 
with special emphasis (v. 16-19), followed in every 
case by an announcement of the world-wide extent 
of the work in that " 'twas evening and 'twas morn- 
ing" at the moment the Divine Architect pro- 
nounced each epoch ended, the work completed 
which was foreshadowed in the opening words. 

I have made some verbal changes that the 
original seems to demand, following the peculiar 



14:8 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

wording of the " day clauses " as far as our lan- 
guage will permit. 

I have left untouched the imperative form, as 
it does not seriously affect the meaning, a com- 
mand, in God's utterances, being simply another 
mode of stating His own purpose. 

I should prefer, but for the hoariness of anti- 
quity which has gathered about these phrases, to 
render the future form simply by our English 
future. 

For a like reason I have retained the word 
" firmament." It is now so well understood to be 
an improper translation of a word meaning " ex- 
panse " that there is no danger of mistaking the 
true sense. Indeed, to most English readers it no 
longer conveys the idea of solidity. 

In regard to the fourth day, I have already 
given at considerable length my reasons for the 
translation which I employ. The present ren- 
dering does violence to the Hebrew and to God's 
other Record. 

I have placed immediately after each announce- 
ment of completion, the command (or, so to speak, 
the programme) for the next creative stage, in the 
belief that there were no gaps in this work, but a 
continuous development of God's plans. 

Here I may remark that the earlier stages 
were of immensely longer duration than the later 
ones. In fact, it is difficult, if not impossible, to 
distinguish any intervals in the last three periods. 



THE MOSAIC NARRATIVE. 149 



GENESIS, Chapters I. and II. 

1 In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth. (2) And the earth was without 
form and void, and darkness was upon the face of 
the deep. 

And the spirit of God moved upon the face of 
of the waters. 

3 And God said, Let there be light. 

And there was light. (4) And God saw the 
light that it was good. 

And God divided between the light and be- 
tween the darkness. (5) And God called the light 
Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the 
evening was, and the morning was one day. 

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in 
the midst of the waters, and let it divide the 
waters from the waters. 



7 And God made the firmament, and divided 
the waters which were under the firmament, from 
the waters which were over the firmament : and 
it was so. (8) And God called the firmament 
heaven. And 'twas evening and 'twas morning 
the second day. 



150 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

9 And God said, Let the waters under the 
heaven be gathered together into one place, and 
let the dry land appear. 



And it was so. (10) And God called the dry 
land Earth ; and the gathering together of the 
waters, called he Seas ; and God saw that it was 
good. 

11* And God said, Let the earth bring forth 
grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree 
yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in it- 
self, upon the earth : 



and it was so. 

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and 
herb yielding seed after his kind ; and the tree 
yielding fruit whose seed was in itself after his 
kind. (13) And God saw that it was good. And 
'twas evening, and 'twas morning the third day. 

14 And God said, Let it be that the lights in 
the firmament of the heaven divide f between 
(margin) the day and the night, J and let them be 

* Verse 11 in chronological order comes between verses 
9 and 10. But this order is for the sake of brevity and clear- 
ness held for the moment in abeyance, all danger of error 
being avoided by placing both completions in one " day." 

f Or " Let the lights in the firmament of heaven be to 
divide," etc.; either form harmonizes with the idea of ap- 
pointment so evident in the next two clauses. 

J A father divides his property between his two sons ; so 
the sun and moon divide their influence, their light, between 



THE MOSAIC NARRATIVE. 151 

for signs, and for-seasons, and for days, and years ; 
(15) and let them be for lights in the firmament 
of the heaven to give light upon the earth : 



and it was so. 

(16 And God made two great lights ; the 
greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light 
to rule the night, the stars also. (17) And 
God set them in the firmament of the heaven 
to give light upon the earth ; (18) and to rule 
over the day and over the night, and to divide 
the light from the darkness.) 

19 And God saw that it was good. And 
'twas evening, and 'twas morning the fourth day. 

20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth 
abundantly the moving creature that hath life, 
and fowl that may fly in the open firmament of 
heaven. 

21 And God created great whales, and every 
living creature that moveth, which the waters 
brought forth abundantly after their kind, and 
every winged fowl after his kind. 

22 And God saw that it was good. And God 
blessed them saying, Be fruitful and multiply and 
fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply 
in the earth. (23) And 'twas evening and 'twas 
morning the fifth day. 

the day and the night, giving to each its due share. Up 
to this, I take it, their shares were equal. Now they are to 
vary. 



152 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth 
the living creature after his kind, cattle and 
creeping thing and beast of the earth after his 
kind. 



25 And it was so. And God made the beast 
of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their 
kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 
after his kind : and God saw that it was good. 

Chap. II., v. 4-6. These are the generations of 
the heavens and of the earth when they were cre- 
ated, in the day the Jehovah God made the earth 
and the heavens, and every plant of the field, 
before it was in the earth, and every herb of the 
field, before it grew ; when the Jehovah God had 
not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was 
not a man to till the ground, and there went up a 
mist from the face of the earth and watered the 
whole face of the ground. 

Chap. I., v. 26. And God said, Let us make 
man in our image and in our likeness ; and let 
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and 
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing 
that creepeth upon the earth. 

Chap. II., v. 7-25. And the Jehovah God 
formed man of the dust of the ground, and 
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and 
man became a living soul. 

And the Jehovah God planted a garden east- 



THE MOSAIC NARRATIVE. 153 

ward in Eden, and-there he placed the man whom 
he had formed. And out of the ground made the 
Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant 
to the sight, and good for food ; the tree of life 
also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of 
knowledge of good and evil. (Yv. 10, 11, 12, 13, 
14 describe the situation of the garden.) 

And the Jehovah God took the man, and put 
him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to 
keep it. 

And the Jehovah God commanded the man, 
saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
freely eat ; but of the tree of the knowledge of 
good and evil thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the 
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

And the Jehovah God said, It is not good that 
the man should be alone ; I will make him an help 
meet for him. 

And out of the ground the Jehovah God 
formed every beast of the field, and fowl of the 
air ; and brought them unto Adam to see what he 
would call them ; and whatsoever Adam called 
every living creature, that was the name thereof. 

And Adam gave names to all cattle and to the 
fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field ; 
but for Adam there was not found an help meet 
for him. 

And the Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to 
fall upon Adam, and he slept ; and he took one of 
his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. 
7* 



154: GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

And the rib which the Jehovah God had taken 
from the man, made he a woman and brought her 
unto the man. And Adam said, This is now 
bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh ; she shall 
be called Woman, because she was taken out of 
man. (Therefore shall a man leave his father and 
mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall 
be one flesh.) 

And they were both naked, the man and his 
wife, and were not ashamed. 

Chap. I., v. 27-31. So God created man in his 
own image, in the image of God created he him ; 
male and female created he them. And God 
blessed them and God said unto them, Be fruitful 
and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue 
it ; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, 
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living 
thing that moveth upon the earth. 

And God said, Behold, I have given you every 
herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the 
earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of 
a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for meat ; 
and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl 
of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon 
the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every 
green herb for meat ; and it w T as so. 

And God saw every thing that he had made, 
and behold, it was very good. 

And 'twas evening and 'twas morning the 
sixth day. 



PERSONALITY OF THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT. 155 

Chap. II., v. i^3. Thus the heavens and the 
earth were finished and all the host of them. 

And on the seventh day God ended his work 
which he had made; and he rested on the seventh 
day from all his work which he had made. And 
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it ; 
because that in it he had rested from all his work 
which God created and made. 



THE PERSONALITY OF THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT 
OF CREATION. 

After writing Chapter IV. of this essay, it 
occurred to me that the Scientific truth and order 
of the events recorded might be evident to some 
minds, if some other word should be substituted 
for the name of God. 

I commenced what might be called an imper- 
sonal Genesis. But the Narrative refused to be so 
treated. I was met at every step by an ever-living 
personality that flashed forth from almost every 
phrase. It quickly brought me to a stand and 
compelled me either to give up the attempt or to 
omit large portions of the account. What filled 
me with surprise was that those words which 
before had appeared almost needless surplusage, 
were the very ones that baffled all my efforts. 

Let the reader attempt this for himself, select- 
ing any one of the terms used by theophobists in 
place of " God.' 1 

Let him take the most unpromising and, for 



156 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

this purpose, the most awkward of all the expres- 
sions so employed. 

In the beginning Natural Causes created the heavens and 
the earth. 

And the earth was without form and void ; and darkness 
was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Natural 
Causes moved upon the face of the waters. 

And Natural Causes said, Let there be light, and there 
was light. And Natural Causes saw the light that it was 
good. And Natural Causes divided the light from the dark- 
ness. And Natural Causes called the light Day, and the 
darkness he called Night. . . . And Natural Causes said, 
Let there be a firmament. . . . And Natural Causes made a 
firmament. . . . And Natural Causes called the firmament 
Heaven. 

We have gone thus through but a fragment of 
the narrative, and the abstraction has vanished, 
and in place of it there is the designation of a liv- 
ing, acting person. If the reader will continue 
the substitution to the close of the chapter, he will 
find the personal element intensified until in the 
twenty-sixth and following verses it culminates in 
the mysterious first person plural, the Father who 
forms man in his likeness, and blesses and endows 
him. 

If, then, the outline of physical events here re- 
corded, be true, both as to the events themselves 
and the order of their occurrence, then must it be 
equally true in its evidence as to the personality 
of the First Cause. The two are so interwoven 
that separation is impossible. 

" Dynamis " has been adopted by some as an 



157 

eminently fit name for the " First Cause," as 
eliminating all associations with personality. But 
if it be employed in this narrative in place of 
" God," it shares the fate of " Natural Causes " 
and becomes only a title of an intensely personal 
Being. 

Nor is this name " Dynamis," anything new. 
The pantheistic writers who adopt it, possibly 
may be surprised to learn that precisely the same 
word (in Hebrew) was employed by Moses in this 
very narrative. 

" Elohim," the word he employs, translated 
" God," means " Forces," or Dynamis in the plural ; 
i. e. all powers combined.* The account itself 
adds the needed personality to make the word 
properly characterize the God of the Hebrews, the 
God of Creation. 



GOD'S VERDICT OF APPROVAL, "AND GOD SAW 
THAT IT WAS GOOD." 

This formula occurs six times in the first chap- 
ter, while a higher approval, u very good," occurs 
but once, and there are four divine acts that do 
not receive any such meed. 

What fact underlies this distinction ? What 
does the author mean by "good"? Certainly 
not any moral quality, since none can be pre- 

* See Lange on Genesis, page 109, on the meaning and 
derivation of Elohim. Also Dr. Lewis' note, same page. 

*' Power, greatness, vastness." " Our terms, infinite, ab- 
solute, etc., add nothing to these in idea." 



158 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

dicated of light, nor of land and water, nor of the 
other things done, or creatures created, before man. 

A good machine is one so thoroughly finished 
in all its parts and arrangements, as to do the 
work for which it was intended. A western pio- 
neer calls his farm a good one, when he has re- 
moved the forests, and brought the land into a 
condition fit. for his purposes. 

The work in which the Almighty is represented 
as employed, was that of bringing our world from 
its primary formless, empty, dark state, to a condi- 
tion fit for man. In itself considered, every act of 
God is good, being perfectly fitted for the purpose 
he has in view ; bat in reference to completion for 
the use of the coming race, many things were but 
stepping-stones to something better. 

I think I see in this why so many divine acts 
are left without the word of approval, and why 
others receive it. 

Let us see how this agrees with the account, 
and with the physical facts. 

No. 1. "In the beginning God created the 
heavens and the earth." Not pronounced good, 
since it, the Cosmos, was not ready for man's use, 
being in a Nebulous condition. It required a 
long course of perfecting. • 

No. 2. Motion imparted. 

Not pronounced good, because it was only 
germinal of future results. Not motion or force 
in a shape that man could use. • 



159 

No. 3. Lightrcame into existence. 

Pronounced good, because light has no stages 
of progress. It was perfected at once, ready for 
the future man and organic life. No improve- 
ment has since been made in it. 

No. 4. Beginning of days and nights. 

Not pronounced " good," as the axis was yet to 
be bent farther from the perpendicular, to give 
varying length of days, and to cause seasons, a 
change that occurred long afterwards. 

No. 5. Deposition of water, and formation of 
a clear expanse, being the preparation of the at- 
mosphere for the transmission of the solar rays. 

Not pronounced good, because the purification 
was not completed till long afterwards. 

No. 6. The appearance of the dry land, and 
the formation of the oceans. 

This is pronounced good. No change, Geo- 
logy tells us, has taken place in the plan since the 
foundations were laid in the azoic rocks, nor any 
considerable upheaval or enlargement since its 
completion in the Tertiary. It was then in its 
general arrangements and outlines ready for man. 

No. 7. Production of grasses, herbs, and fruit 
trees. 

Pronounced good, because no farther advance 
was needed to fit the vegetable world for man, 
and the cattle and beasts, the fauna, to him objects 
of the greatest interest. Angiosperms and palms 
.ire the highest developed of the vegetable world. 



160 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

No. 8. A climatic change introducing unequal 
days, seasons, and measurement of years, really an 
increase of axial inclination. 

Pronounced good, because no further change 
was needed to provide modern climate for man. 
No change in that direction has since occurred. 

No. 9. Production of " living " species of 
fowls, fish, and moving things, of aquatic habits. 

Pronounced good, because they marked the 
completion of those orders of animal life for man's 
use. No higher orders since. 

No. 10. The production of mammalia, and in- 
creased development of lower orders of terrestrial 
animals. 

Pronounced good, because no further improve- 
ment was contemplated. They were ready for 
man. No higher orders since. 

No. 11. The Creation of Man, the making of 
the garden with its peculiar fauna and flora, the 
formation of Eve, and the institution of marriage. 
• These mark a higher and nobler culmination, 
a crown of glory to the hitherto brute world, a 
work which God does not call upon nature to per- 
form, but which God is represented as doing 
solely himself. 

This, in a higher sense of satisfaction and com- 
pletion, God pronounces, Yery good. 



THE DIVINE MONOLOGUE. 161 



THE DIVINE MONOLOGUE. 

In the Narrative, God is represented as speak- 
ing. Was there actually a sound, a voice? It 
would seem that there was. God afterward spoke 
with human voice to Adam and Eve, to Moses 
upon the Mount, to the children of Israel, and to 
many of his people down through the years of 
Jewish history. 

Whether he spoke with a voice or not, the in- 
tense literalism of the whole induces me to believe 
that by means equivalent to speech he did convey 
to some audience the sense which we find in the 
written narrative. Nor are we left to conjecture 
who the audience were, in whose ears sounded 
the divine announcements of his purposes. Ten 
times we read " And God said." Twice out of 
these, he speaks to Adam. In the other eight, no 
listeners are mentioned, but we know there was 
an eager, attentive, sympathetic audience, for the 
Almighty himself tells us, that when "he laid 
the foundations of the earth, when he laid the 
measures thereof, and stretched a line upon it," 
" the Sons of God shouted for joy." 

There seems an incongruity between the pho- 
tographic realism of the account, and the form 
of expression attributed to God in our English 
Version, where he is represented as commanding 
matter as if it was a sentient being, able of itself 
to obey, as when he says, "Let the earth bring 



162 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

forth," or stranger still, when he commands the 
non-existent to exist. 

" Let there be light," 

Such expressions would befit a poem abound- 
ing in the bold imagery of the East, but seem 
strangely out of place in a description whose prose 
literalism in every other respect is simply won- 
derful. 

But when we read in the Hebrew Grammar 
that there is no imperative form in that language 
for the first or the third person, but that the future 
is employed, and that the translator is guided only 
by his judgment, i. e. by subjective reasons, 
whether to render it by the future or by the im- 
perative, the incongruity vanishes. 

The translators may have been transcendent 
Hebrew scholars, but they allowed their notions 
of what Moses ought to say, to lead them so far 
astray as to mistranslate " expanse," or " open 
space," by " firmament," something solid. Al- 
though the Septuagint and all other ancient ver- 
sions accord, it will not be presumption to question 
their accuracy in a matter in which they had 
nothing but their beliefs, scientific or metaphysi- 
cal, to guide them. Even that critical tact which 
conies from long acquaintance with a language, 
may be an unsafe guide if tempered with incor- 
rect ideas of creation, or of God's manner of work- 
ing. The only safe course would have been to 
translate the text as Moses wrote it, calling an 



163 

" expanse " an '^-expanse," and a future tense a 
future tense. 

Read in this sense, the intense realism of the 
Narrative is without alloy. 

Instead of commands to non-existences or to 
inert matter, we find announcements of Divine 
purposes, a series of prophecies, which are in due 
time fulfilled, as is related in a succeeding verse. 

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me infi- 
nitely more sublime for the Divine Architect to 
calmly announce his purposes, and record that he 
has accomplished them, than to think of him as 
giving forth a command to matter to do a thing 
which matter cannot do, and which, after all, God 
himself does. 

As to the statement that St. Paul says " God 
commanded the light to shine out of darkness," * 
it is' probably a sufficient answer to say that the 
Apostle quoted in substance from the Septuagint, 
the Bible then in common use. I might add what 
every scholar knows, that elnav is not properly a 
word of command at all, but rather of narration, 
and is so rendered in all the four hundred or more 
times it occurs in the New Testament, save three 
or four. 

THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVED UPON THE FACE OF 
THE WATERS. 

In the first verse God creates, in the third, the 
Spirit of God acts. Why this distinction ? Per- 

* 2 Corinth, iv. 6. 



164 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

haps the character of the two things done, as 
revealed by the New Chemistry as already quoted, 
will give a good explanation. If all qualities of 
matter be the results of one substratum modified 
by the varying play of one force, the imparting 
and regulating this force was an operation requir- 
ing, as far as we can judge, infinitely more of what 
we should call in a man, intellect, than the act of 
generating the material on which the force was to 
act. The matter was inert, dead, formless, the 
force imparted to it, if Evolutionists are rights 
contained in germ, the future creation. The first 
act was, so to speak, merely physical. The second 
laid the foundation, planned the future Cosmos 
and its inhabitants, endowed its atoms with powers 
fitted for their mission, set a compass upon the 
face of the depth, prepared the heavens, and laid 
the foundation of the earth. The former was, so 
to speak, the work of the Almighty hand ; the lat- 
ter, the work of the Almighty mind, that is, the 
Spirit of God, surpassing the other as mind sur- 
passes body. 

The statement recorded by Moses is, then, an 
assertion that the imparting of these forces was 
not the work of mere Power or Law, but a posi- 
tive exercise of intelligence, purpose, will, — all 
that constitutes personality. 



THE "six days." 165 



ON THE "SIX DAYS" OF THE FOURTH 
COMMANDMENT. 

" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day." 
(Exodus xx. 11.) 

" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and 
in the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." (Exod. 
xxxi. 17.) 

I cannot feel that I have done full justice to 
this question, as to the length of the Mosaic 
" days," in its broadest meaning, without consider- 
ing more fully the belief which certainly exists, 
that God intended to convey the impression that 
the world and its contents were formed in six con- 
secutive days, and not within six days separated 
by intervals of unknown length. 

Affirming the incorrectness of such a belief is 
no more an impugnment of the written record, 
than is a statement of the true magnitude of the 
stars a contradiction of Nature. In both there is 
an apparent meaning which a more careful exami- 
nation corrects. The question is not in either 
case, what, with views limited by ignorance or 
disturbed by previous beliefs, we may think was 
meant by " six days," but what, in the light of all 
knowledge, these words represent. Astronomy 
would have made little progress had philosophers 
in their faith in the veracity of Nature accepted 
appearances as ultimate truth. 

Throughout that narrative, which as God's 



166 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

sign-manual is placed on the first page of Bevela- 
tion, a literal realism is found absolutely unap- 
proachable by any human document; but else- 
where God often employed expressions clothed in 
metaphor of every degree of boldness. Christ's 
conversation abounded in them. He called him- 
self a door, a vine, a lamb, and many other names. 
But he was not careful to use only such metaphors 
as could not be misunderstood. 

When the Jews in the temple asked for a sign, 
he replied, " Destroy this temple and in three days 
I will raise it up again." Their answer, proves 
that his words had been misunderstood, and he 
must have known it, but he vouchsafed no expla- 
nation. In Ex. xxxi. 17, God says he " was re- 
freshed." Being " refreshed " is evidently spoken 
after the manner of a man coming down to the 
level of his hearers. 

These will suffice to show that first impressions 
are often wrong, and that we are to test them in 
all possible ways. No encouragement is given to 
mental indolence. 

My reasons, then, for believing that the Com- 
mandment was not intended to teach a creation in 
six consecutive days, are as follows: In Genesis 
there is no assertion that anything was made on 
any of the " days." It is affirmed that on each 
" day " God saw the completed progress and pro- 
nounced it " good " — that is all. In the second 
chapter, we are told of " the * day " in which all 
things were made, as if to forbid the belief that 



THE "six days." 167 

the previous days— were days of creation. Ex. 
xxxi. 17, as already shown, could not possibly have 
been intended to mean what the Hebrews under- 
stood from it, viz., that God " was refreshed," 
" took breath," as the Hebrew has it. The pre- 
position " in " does not occur in the phrase, " for in 
six days," as is shown by the italics in our version. 
The writer says, " God made heaven and earth 
and all that in them is," in some relation to " six 
days " (Hebrew, " six of days," i. e. a series of six 
days ?) and leaves us to discover what that relation 
is. As there is no anachronism in imputing to 
God the knowledge of modern Science, we may 
take his words from our highest present stand- 
point (infinitely below His), and supply the ellipsis 
by that word which, in view of all the facts, best 
represents the true relation. By u heaven" is 
meant here, as I think, the firmament or open 
space in which the birds fly. If so, then the pro- 
per preposition appears to be " within," making 
it read " for within six days," etc. It was after 
the " one day" that God made the firmament, and 
it was before the day of announcement of final com- 
pletion that he made " all that in them is." In this, 
too, was included the making (not the creation) of 
the earth to be a habitation for man. Thus the en- 
tire transaction is brought within the " six days." 
It is clear, then, that God intended to impress 
most strongly the observance of the Sabbath *in 
commemoration of his creating all things. To do 
this he used a form of expression most fitted for 



168 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

his purpose, yet so guarded that the thoughtful 
mind earnestly seeking the truth, and collating 
God's two Records with each other, need hnd no 
contradiction. 



ON THE CHARACTER OF THE PLANTS AND ANI- 
MALS OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 

The intense realism of the Mosaic Narrative 
seems to suffer a shock in the twenty-ninth and 
thirtieth verses of the first chapter, where we are 
told, 

" And God said, Behold I have given you 
every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of 
all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit 
of a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for 
meat ; and to every beast of the earth, and to 
every fowl of the air, and to every thing that 
creepeth upon the earth wherein there is the 
breath of life, every green herb for meat ; and it 
was so." 

In these verses I find two difficulties. " Every 
herb bearing seed " and every tree yielding fruit 
are said to be given to man for " meat," i. e. he is 
to eat them and be sustained and nourished by 
them, and yet we well know that there are herbs 
and trees which are injurious or even destructive 
to him. We are also told that " every green 
herb " was to be " meat " for all the animals, 
while we know that to the carnivorous animals 
such a diet means death by starvation. Nor is it 



PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF EDEN. 169 

any answer to^say that all seeds and fruits were 
then non-injurious, for of that we have no proof, 
and the Bible and Science have both suffered too 
much from positive assertions, whose only founda- 
tion was a desire to say something to cover up the 
speaker's ignorance. I trust the day has gone by 
for the invention of Scientific or Theological facts. 

Moreover, since many animals feed upon plants 
poisonous to man, such a supposition requires us 
to believe that the injurious plants and the crea- 
tures that feed upon them, were created after the 
fall, i. e. after the " rest " of the seventh day. 

As to the Carnivora, we know they lived long 
before Adam. Modern Chemistry has showm that 
they through the herbivorous animals, derive their 
food from the " green herb," and I doubt not this 
modern discovery was well known to the Author 
of the Narrative, and helps explain the apparent 
universality of his assertion ; but I do not think 
Adam and Eve so understood it. There must 
have been some other meaning, not inconsistent 
with this, which readily suggested itself to their 
minds. 

This other meaning I seek. To be satisfactory 
it should be drawn from the narrative itself, or 
from admitted facts. In this inquiry we shall de- 
rive much assistance from the next chapter. I 
assume both to be true ; as true and a hundred 
times more true than Humboldt's Cosmos, or any 
merely human narrative. 
8 



170 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Looking now at the twenty-seventh verse, we 
read, " So God created man in his own image, in 
the image of God created he him." At this point 
of time the events of the next chapter come in, 
from the creation of Adam in the seventh verse, 
or rather from his being placed in the garden, up 
to and including the creation of Eve — for it adds, 
" male and female created he them," and the crea- 
tion of Eve and her union to Adam are the last 
events mentioned in this Chapter. 

In the verses 8 and 9, Chap. II., we are told 
God planted a garden and placed in it the man 
whom he had formed, i. e. previously formed. 
" And out of the ground made the Lord God to 
grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and 
good for food." . . . After which, if we may judge 
from the apparent order (which if our Witnesses 
be reliable, has in every case hitherto been the true 
one) this happened (remember the sixth day is not 
yet ended nor Eve created), v. 19, " And out of 
the ground the Lord God formed every beast of 
the field and every fowl of the air." Note here the 
absence of fishes and all water animals which 
would have been inappropriate in a description of 
the animals of Eden. After the formation of these 
animals, God formed Eve from Adam, and subse- 
quent to that gave, to them (not to Adam alone) 
dominion over all animate beings. 

In verse 29, God told them that all fruits were 
for their meat and all green herbs for the animals. 



PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF EDEN. 171 

It seems fronr this address, and from the ac- 
count given in the next two chapters, that God 
did appear in some form, probably in human 
shape, and talk to and with Adam and Eve. His 
language must have been adapted to their ideas 
and capacity. He first gave them a grant of 
" dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of 
the air, and over every living thing that moveth 
upon the earth." 

Subsequently to this gift, it may have been an 
hour or a day, or longer, God again speaks to 
Adam, to whom Eden, extending from horizon to 
horizon, was the " whole earth," and tells him that 
in all that space there were no injurious plants, 
but all were either " pleasant to the eye or good 
for food," and that he might safely eat of all, save 
one which was reserved for other reasons than the 
possession of any poisonous quality. Moreover, 
among all the beasts, birds and creeping things 
upon the face of the whole earth, there was not 
one that would injure him ; there was not a car- 
nivorous creature among them, for none of them 
ate flesh, but all lived upon vegetation, even 
" every green herb," such animals as we now style 
herbivorous. 

This seems to me to solve the difficulty. There 
was a special creation of plants and animals for the 
Garden, an idea eminently in harmony with present 
scientific belief that, as a general thing, the flora 
and fauna of each great section originated in that 
section. 



172 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

The entire flora of the Garden consisted of 
" trees pleasant to the sight and good for food," 
as well as " herbs bearing seed," and " grass," and 
consequently free from any admixture of noxious 
species. Their " fruit " was to be Adam's " meat." 

The animal world of that region was in har- 
mony with the vegetable. All ferocious, flesh- 
eating creatures were excluded. Neither preda- 
cious birds nor beasts were found within its lim- 
its. The only fauna were those which subsisted 
upon the " green herb for meat." 

This realism destroys the poetry which repre- 
sents the lion and the lamb, the leopard and the 
kid living harmoniously together ; but it is based 
on the words of Moses, and contradicts no facts of 
Scripture or Science. 

The other explanation requires us to believe that 
carnivorous animals at that time flourished on food 
on which we know they would now starve to death, 
or that carnivorous beasts did not then exist. 
The first would require a suspension of the laws 
of animal life, and the second contradicts the ex- 
planation itself. 

As to a four-legged creature of the size and 
appearance of, for instance, a tiger, but with teeth 
able to graze, and intestines and stomach able to 
digest the food of an ox, such an animal would not 
be a tiger at all, but a nameless monster of whose 
existence there is no evidence. 

Moreover, this theory requires us also to believe 



PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF EDEN. 173 

that this grass-eating creature, and countless other 
herbivorous carnivores (!) were destroyed at the 
time of Adam's Fall, and their places supplied by 
a creation (after the sixth day, remember) of non- 
herbivorous carnivorous animals, or else that each 
of them underwent at once such a change of teeth, 
stomach, and intestines, as would really be the for- 
mation of new species, a transformation which 
neither Scripture nor Science claims to have taken 
place. 

Compared with this, Darwinian Evolution is a 
trifle. 

Yerses 29 and 30 are remarkable for a depar- 
ture from that purely objective literalism which 
needs no other explanation than the recognition of 
the facts asserted, to what may be styled subjective 
literalism. In the latter the reader needs to be 
placed en rapport with the one to whom the words 
were originally addressed, in order to obtain the 
meaning which the speaker intended to convey. 

In the former case the proposition is literally 
true in itself, without reference to the subjective 
condition of either hearer or reader. Of this we 
have abundant illustration. " The Earth was with- 
out form and void, and darkness was upon the face 
of the deep," conveys a literal truth whether we 
understand it or not, whether the earth was a mass 
of unassorted earth and water shrouded in densest' 
clouds waiting for the sun to be created, or whether 
it describes the period preceding the beginning of 
motion. 



174 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

Of the style conveying what I have called sub- 
jective truth, we have abundant examples in the 
language of daily life, and need no other explana- 
tion than common sense at once supplies. " The 
house was crowded." " The farmer works all his 
life for a moderate competency." " The ground 
was all covered with snow." It is difficult to carry 
on a conversation without the frequent use of such 
expressions. 

In this light read the twenty-ninth verse: 
" Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed 
which is upon the face of the whole earth," etc. 
Eden was to Adam " all the earth," of which he 
knew, and the qualifying or limiting word " the 
face," the face of the whole earth more particularly 
means all that Adam could see. As if God had 
said, " Look over all this land which I have given 
you, all its fruit-bearing trees bear food for you, 
all its animals are harmless, no beasts of prey 
among them." 

This mode of speaking is so common in subse- 
quent portions of the Bible, that it seems just to 
suppose the Author of the whole introduces at the 
close of this account this human mode of expression 
as an interlocking of the series of " logographs " 
with human thoughts, feelings, and forms of speech 
recorded in other portions of the written Word. 

If such be the true character of the fauna of 
the Garden, there is no difficulty in reconciling 
the wide-spread belief that animals before the Fall 



THE CREATION OF ANIMALS. 175 

did not feed upoH-flesh, with the Geological fact 
that carnivorous creatures existed long before man 
appeared upon the earth. 



CONJECTURES AS TO THE PHYSICAL FACTS UN- 
DERLYING THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF THE 
CREATION OF ANIMALS. 

For this discussion, three, postulates are de- 
manded. 

The photographic truthfulness of the first two 
chapters of Genesis ; the historical truth of the 
miracles recorded in both Testaments ; the inti- 
mate relationship of organs and functions dis- 
covered by comparative anatomy between the 
fauna of to-day and that of earlier Geological 
Epochs. If the reader is not prepared to grant all 
these postulates, it will be a waste of time for him 
to read the remainder of this article. 

Among the Scientific Theories, true or false, 
largely affecting men's minds at the present day, 
none is more prominent than that commonly 
styled Darwinism. Its influence, perhaps, is all 
the greater from the difficulty one finds in giving 
it a fixed form, a difficulty which enables it to 
adapt itself to every shade of belief, from the de- 
vout faith of the Christian to the boldest atheism, 
the one seeing in it clear proofs of God's being 
and power, the other, as evident proofs of the 
non-existence of any intelligence higher than man, 
or of any power other than the " laws of Nature." 



176 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

I know of no reason why God could not have 
produced a world filled with organized creatures, 
on the plan of more or less frequent variation in 
successive generations, and the survival of the 
fittest, although it seems a very uncertain, com- 
plicated, and wasteful method. Nor, on the other 
hand, do I know of any reason why he should not 
have created a pair or more of each species, and 
impressed upon them and their descendants that 
stability of character which, at least in historical 
times, they certainly have possessed, however they 
may have come by it. 

That the latter plan seems simpler, more cer- 
tain, and less wasteful, is no proof of its being the 
actual method, for I admit that, if God pleased, he 
could have selected the worst possible mode of 
peopling his world, a mode which no man pos- 
sessed of infinite power and wisdom would choose. 
Which one, then, of these methods was actually 
employed, becomes a question simply of evidence. 

It is admitted that the formulae for all species, 
as far as our experiments have extended, contain 
certain variable elements which admit of increase 
or diminution, and hence give rise to correspond- 
ing differences in their development. Perhaps this 
was part of the primal gift of dominion. How 
far this power extends can only be ascertained by 
exhaustive experiment. We can not only in- 
crease the normal amount of flesh upon our cattle, 
but by judicious breeding can impress upon their 



CREATION OF ANIMALS. 177 

descendants certain traits which we desire to per- 
petuate. We can produce one kind that most 
readily assimilate their food into flesh, another, 
into milk, and another, into great muscular power. 
Our horses can be so developed by careful, intelli- 
gent crossing, that one breed shall beget animals 
famed for speed, while another produces only 
those noted for powers of draught. By similar 
intelligent selection and propagation of like with 
like, we can increase or diminish certain peculiari- 
ties in our fowls, but as for those deeper elements 
on which is based our idea of species, no one has 
yet been able to touch them. Thus far at least, 
the evidence is wholly negative, and the fact that 
the slight variations which have been produced 
are due to careful and intelligent choice, not in the 
brutes, but in Man, is proof, as far as it goes, that 
if all animals are sprung from one stock, those 
deeper elements of being marking widely sepa- 
rated provinces of the animal kingdom, are due 
to a Cause of a similar but higher order. 

Besides the present living animals, there are 
in the rocks the remains, in numbers absolutely 
incalculable, of pre-historic organisms, reaching 
back to the time life began. Very many thousands 
of species of these creatures, scattered widely over 
the earth, have been examined by men whose word 
is authority, and they tell us that thus far no affirma- 
tive evidence of a gradual change from one species 
8* 



178 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

to another has been found.* The advocates of 
this Theory admit the correctness of this state- 
ment, but claim that somewhere evidence tending 
to establish its truth will yet be found. 

It does seem a logical absurdity to rest so large 
a conclusion as Darwinism on so small a base of 
facts. 

Beside the record of the Rocks, there is another 
that is for the most part ignored by the friends of 
this theory, or if they speak of it at all, do so in a 
tone of lofty superiority, as worthy of notice only 
as marking a wide-spread and lasting delusion 
from which the race is slowly awaking. 

But an Author able to give with photographic 
accuracy the ante-human history of our globe, is 
certainly a witness whose evidence is not lightly 
to be rejected. 

In the account in Genesis, three propositions 
are clearly set forth. 1st, That the " waters " 
and " the. earth " " brought forth " fowl, water 
animals, cattle, and beasts, moving living crea- 
tures. 2d, That this " bringing forth " was due 
to no inherent power in the water or the ground, 
and that God claims creatorship or makership of 
all.f 3d, That these events occurred after the 

* Darwin, Origin Species, p. 289, 1873. 

f The Account says God created the water fauna and 
that he made the land fauna. What difference underlies 
this use of these two words, I am unable to say. The 
further advance of Science may at some future time ex- 
plain it. 



CREATION OF ANIMALS. 179 

great climatic change which introduced varying 
seasons and unequal days and nights, and which, 
if my reasoning is correct, corresponds with the 
Glacial Epoch. 

During that time of cold there was a very 
general destruction of living creatures, especially 
of " cattle and beasts " and other vertebrates,* yet 
subsequently, as we daily see about us, cattle, 
beasts, birds, and other vertebrates abounded. 
"While these are all of species different from those 
that preceded the glaciers, yet they bear many 
marks of resemblance, so many that some Scientists 
think them accidental varieties. 

Believing as I do that the miracles recorded in 
the Bible are veritable historical facts, I feel my- 
self at liberty to use them so far as I see fit for 
the purposes of my argument. Nor can I admit 
the unscientific character of such use, as long as 
the very existence of physical science depends 
upon the truth of the propositions enunciated in 
the first Chapter of Genesis, itself a miracle. 

From an examination of the miracles of the 
Old and New Testaments, we learn that it is God's 
habit, so to speak, to act, as far as the circum- 
stances of the case permit, in accordance with the 
ordinary laws of nature, and to avail himself of 
the most closely related means and material, inter- 

* Dana, Manual of Geol., p. 518, 1874. All the Fishes, 
Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals of the Tertiary, are extinct 
species. 



ISO GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

fering divinely only at the moment of absolute 
need. 

When Christ would furnish the marriage feast 
of his humble friends with wine, he did not com- 
mand wine to appear, but he bade the servants 
themselves fill the jars with water, and draw out 
and bear to the guests. All this was done in the 
ordinary manner and in strict accordance with 
the laws of Nature. Christ only supplied what 
needed to be added to convert the water into 
" good wine." 

When he fed the multitude, he used the ma- 
terials at hand, the loaves and fishes, blessed and 
broke in the usual manner, and directed his dis- 
ciples to distribute to the people, his power being 
applied to the one thing they could not do, viz. 
increasing the stock of food. 

When God formed Eve, he did not create her 
from the dust of the earth ; but he employed a 
method then and now in existence for other 
orders of beings, which naturalists call " fission." 
He took from the solitary Adam a part, a scion, or 
cutting, and from it he made (or built up) a woman. 
Here certainly is the positive testimony of an eye- 
witness whose veracity has stood every test, that, 
in the case of our race at least, there was, as to the 
female element, no Darwinian Evolution. The 
contradiction is absolute. 

Turning to the Record of the Rocks, we find 
that in this Glacial period, all higher animal life 



CREATION OF ANIMALS. 181 

perished, and thaLconsequently a repeopling of the 
world by the ordinary methods was impossible. 
The same Record tells us that land and sea 
abounded in the remains of the perished fauna, 
and, from the discoveries in the ice of Siberia, it is 
probable that numerous perfect bodies were pre- 
served by the glacier itself. 

In subsequent portions of the Bible we are told 
that the bodies of men shall hereafter be raised 
from the grave, by divine power, and be trans- 
formed as Spiritual bodies to a higher state of ex- 
istence. Here facts fail me; beyond this I can 
only conjecture. But to what do these facts, few 
as they are, point ? 

The problem was to repeople the earth after 
the destruction of the Glacial period, and to do it, 
as far as possible, in harmony with God's usual 
laws. 

As I interpret and coordinate the facts, this is 
their story. 

Bleak, naked and silent after the long winter, 
the earth had within its bosom the yet living 
seeds and germs of the pre-glacial vegetation, which 
no degree of cold had been able to destroy, and 
which, under the vivifying influence of returning 
heat, clothed the land in verdure. " Everywhere, 
from beds of ancient glacial materials, vegetation 
was bursting forth and announcing itself." * 

This would be in harmony with the ordinary 

* Winchell, Sketches of Creation, p. 270. 



182 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

laws of this great division of organic being. 
Seeds and germs retain their vitality by a power 
impressed upon them by the Creator, for a period 
to which, as yet, we do not know the limit. 

In regard to ancient life, two courses were left 
open to the Divine Architect. He might start de 
novo with a new creation, or He might employ 
the means at hand, and cause the entombed bodies 
and the " dry bones " to live. It would seem 
more in accordance with God's sparing use of mi- 
raculous power that he should breathe life into the 
frames that lay prepared before him, than that he 
should create them anew, and then breathe life 
into them. 

It is impossible to say a priori, which course was 
actually pursued, but turning to the words of our 
Eye-Witness, I find that the waters and the earth 
u brought forth " the new fauna, and I know there 
lay dormant or dead in the waters and the earth, 
myriads of the former fauna closely allied to those 
which have succeeded them. 

These bodies or frames, then, may have been 
raised by Divine power, and, by God's plastic hand, 
may have been added or removed those parts and 
peculiarities which mark the difference between 
the species of to-day and those of an earlier period. 

Hence the marvelous resemblances, the " re- 
miniscent traces" of former stages of being, as 
well as the peculiar and infinitely wise adaptation 
of parts to the circumstances of being. The Mas- 
ter's hand makes itself seen in the variety as well 



CREATION OF ANIMALS. 183 

as the perf ection-of its work. It would seem as if 
every process of life was performed in as many 
ways as possible. When eating, man carries his 
food to his month by the hand ; the fish, with 
neither neck nor arms, carries himself to his food. 
The elephant takes his, by reaching out his nose ; 
the horse and tapir, by their upper lips ; the fish- 
hawk holds his prey with his feet, while the croco- 
dile drives his into his mouth by a blow of his 
tail. In all this variety, which extends into almost 
every process of life, there is such perfect har- 
mony, such exquisite adaptation, that a naturalist 
can, from a single tooth, build up a description of 
the animal that carried it. Nor could any amount 
of reasoning convince him that a tooth which he 
had picked up in his rambles, belonged indiffer- 
ently to a cow or to a tiger, or that it might have 
happened to grow in the mouth of a fish. 

Moreover, such an origin, equally well with 
Darwinism, accounts for the relationships of fauna 
past and present, and for the persistence of types 
in the same locality from their first origin in re- 
mote geological periods, a persistence unbroken 
even by the great telluric catastrophe of the 
Glaciers. 

As has already been said, the process of organic 
creation went on through all the " days '' from the 
third, and ceased onty after the creation of Eve, 
when God entered upon the rest of the Seventh day. 

Whether, on the morrow of the day following 
this first Sabbath, or on any day subsequent, God 



184 GENESIS AND SCIENCE. 

resumed his creative work, the Bible is silent. It 
is left to man to study on, and to discover if he 
can. One thing, however, is certain, if the Bible 
makes no assertion about it, their fears are ground- 
less who dread Scientific inquiry. 

It may be that my Scientific sight is not suffi- 
ciently clear, but to me such an origin as I have 
described, is infinitely freer from difficulties than 
that which traces man's descent from an ascidian, 
and that without supervising Intelligence. 

I cannot reconcile my belief in an infinitely 
powerful and wise Being, with a plan slowly work- 
ing up to perfection through an infinite series of 
chance results, the vast majority of which were 
either so imperfect as never to arrive at maturity, 
or if matured, unable to continue their kind. 

Allusion was made, page 178, note, to some 
occult truth underlying the use of " create," v. 21, 
and " made," v. 25. 

If my conjecture as to God's mode of pro- 
ducing the animals, be founded in fact, perhaps 
the more complete disintegration of the water 
fauna, rendered necessary a re-creation ; while the 
almost perfect preservation of the land fauna 
whose remains may have been enclosed in the ice 
of the Glacial Epoch required comparatively so 
little, that the process was more appropriately 
described by the inferior word "made." The 
reader will at once recall the Siberian Elephant, 
whose remains were found in a state of perfect 
preservation near the mouth of the Lena. 



PART III. 

CONTAINING AN INQUIRY INTO 

THE CAUSE AND EPOCH OF THE PRESENT 
INCLINATION OF THE EARTH'S AXIS. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED 

AN ESSAY ON COSMOLOGY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The work of the " fourth day," according to 
the Mosaic Account, was some change of the pre- 
existing order of things, which produced the vicis- 
situdes of seasons, and the varying length of days 
and nights. The " lights " were to divide (the 
time) between the day and the night, were to be 
for signs and for seasons, for days and for years. 
What the physical truth underlying this statement 
was, we are left, as in case of other physical 
truths, to find out as best we may. The problem 
then is, how to read those verses in the light of 
present knowledge. 

The more ancient opinion was, that the Sun, 
Moon, and Stars were created on the " fourth 
day," a belief which is^sufficiently answered by 
the Account itself, which informs us that what- 
ever it was that occurred, it took place not only 
after the creation of the " heaven," i. e. Sun, Moon, 
and Stars, but after the appearance of " grasses, 
herbs, and fruit trees." 

A later, and perhaps at present, the most 
prevalent belief among those who accept the ac- 
count as true, is that these bodies came into exist- 



188 

ence when God created the heavens and the earth, 
but had remained so obscured by dense clouds, as 
to be invisible ; and that in obedience to the Di- 
vine command, on the "fourth day," the clouds 
and darkness cleared away. As to whether the 
earth had at that time days and nights of unequal 
length and changing seasons, and consequently 
the axis had its present inclination, this class of 
thinkers have not, as far as I am aware, expressed 
any opinion, apparently taking it for granted. I 
also notice that the most Scientific of them man- 
age, in some way, to change the Mosaic order so 
as to place the appearance of the higher plants 
after the fourth day. 

This explanation, certainly, has simplicity to 
recommend it, and once accounted for all the 
known conditions. But it is without foundation 
in the facts of our world's history, and has no bet- 
ter argument in its favor than that, if it were true, 
it met the exigency which caused its suggestion. 
Apart from the self-evident truth that one has 
no right to invent physical facts, the Geological 
record is such that the admission of this theory 
involves its supporters in inextricable difficulties. 

Every one knows that such a vegetation as 
" grasses, herbs, and fruit trees," requires the 
direct actinic rays of the Sun for its growth and 
perfection. The dense, persistent layer of clouds, 
which such a theory demands, together with the 
warm, moist atmosphere, which we know prevailed 



INTRODUCTION. 189 

in the earlier history of our world, would have 
prevented the proper maturing and perfecting of 
such plants, and consequently the production of the 
seed. Hence, even had they been created under 
such conditions, they would speedily have died 
out, except by a continuous miracle. 

Moreover, there are in the rocks the remains 
of myriads of animals that lived and died ages be- 
fore " grasses, herbs, and fruit trees " made their 
appearance, and of course before the work of the 
fourth day. These creatures possessed eyes as 
perfect as are found to-day, a fact which forces us 
to believe that the animal and vegetable world 
then, as now, enjoyed the full light of the Sun. 

For these, and for other reasons in reference to 
the distribution of animal and vegetable life, 
which will appear in due time, I felt compelled to 
lay aside this explanation as insufficient. 

I began my search for an answer to the problem 
by a careful examination of the narrative itself. 
From its peculiar and careful wording, it was evi- 
dent that the thing done, whatever it was, caused 
seasons, had to do with the measurement of the 
year, and the unequal division of day and night ; 
I noted an absence of any allusion to months, the 
most ancient and most obvious division of time. 
Hence it follows, if the narrative states a physical 
truth, that the thing done on the Fourth Day, 
producing such effects, must have been a change 
in the inclination of the earth's axis, as nothing 



190 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

else would affect both the " day and night," and 
the seasons. 

At once I was met with the statement that, 
according to the most careful observations and the 
most refined analysis, no such change has ever 
taken place. But Astronomy observes only what 
is now occurring, and calculates the past and 
future state of our System, on the sole condition 
that the influences affecting it have always been 
and shall always remain the same in kind and 
intensity. On such conditions, it is easy to calcu- 
late the eclipses of the next century ; but how if 
some immense meteor should dash the moon out 
of its orbit ? 

The question of possibility then resolves itself 
into this : has there been any difference in the 
intensity of any of the great forces of nature ? 

Astronomy, Geology, Optics, Correlation of 
Forces, answer at once in the affirmative, and bear 
witness that the power of heat in our System was 
once almost infinitely intensified. 

The field is then open. ~No conclusions of 
Astronomical Observation or Mathematical Analy- 
sis, bar the entrance. The investigation has car- 
ried me far beyond the goal for which I started. 
It has gone out into the mechanism of the uni- 
verse and brought solutions of many of its pecu- 
liarities and anomalies. 

I find, however, .questions which no action of 
unintelligent force can explain, and for which I 



INTRODUCTION. 191 

can see no other reason than the will of the Great 
Architect. JSTor should this excite surprise, since 
it is no less true of the acts of ourselves and our 
fellows. A railroad is a formation evolved from 
rock and earth. Forces generated by the Sun, in 
the growth of vegetation, or in the evaporation of 
water, utilized by the muscles of men and beasts, 
heaped up the long embankment. All this can be 
readily shown, and one can get along thus far tol- 
erably well without reference to anything higher. 
But why the embankment is of uniform width, 
and just wide enough for the trains to pass; why 
it reaches from city to city ; why, with infinite 
labor, it tunnels mountains, instead of taking by 
" natural selection " the easiest and shortest route, 
are questions that can be answered only by as- 
suming that kind of guidance which we call intel- 
ligence. 

The work of the fourth period is placed by 
Moses after the completion of the Continents and 
the appearance of grasses, herbs, and " the tree 
bearing fruit the seed of which is in itself," and 
before the present living species of fish and fowl. 
If, therefore, the account be true, " not merely as 
to the facts asserted, but as to the order of their 
occurrence," the phenomenon which is described 
must have taken place in the interval, and if 
Nature and Genesis agree, there must be found 
the physical cause of the increase of the earth's 
axial inclination. 



192 

Geology reveals to us 'the interesting fact that 
in this interval between these biological epochs 
was the era of the Glaciers. 

Geology also tells us that before the Tertiary 
(the era just before the Glaciers) a climate of won- 
derful uniformity prevailed over the entire globe, 
with " no zones of climate," and we all know that 
after the Glaciers there were and are seasons. 
Hence, during the Glacial epoch, according to this 
Witness, that axial change must have occurred. 

In the present inclination of the Moon's orbit, 
and in the laws of organic life, I found a clew 
which led to the same result, viz. that down to 
the Glaciers, the axis of the earth was nearly per- 
pendicular to the ecliptic, and that during this 
period of ice and cold, its inclination increased to 
its present angle of 23|-°. 

It then remained to search for the physical 
cause of this movement, which was done by an 
exhaustive examination of all possible influences 
affecting our planet. This independent line of 
investigation also placed this important event in 
the era of the Glaciers, thus corroborating my 
former conclusion. 

It certainly is very remarkable that four lines 
of proof, so different from each other in every re- 
spect, and so entirely independent, should lead to 
this same result. 

The mode of study and investigation pursued 
was this : 



INTRODUCTORY. 193 

I first found that anterior to the historic period 
there was a time when the earth's axis did not 
have its present inclination ; that it was normally 
perpendicular to the ecliptic ; that at the moment 
of lunar segregation it was inclined about 5° 9'. 
I then examined the facts revealed by Geology as 
to the distribution of ancient vegetable and animal 
life, with special reference to any indications of 
change of axial inclination, and as to its biological 
date. 

Having shown the occurrence of such a change, 
and fixed its epoch, I sought a sufficient cause for 
it, which I found in circumpolar upheavals. 

This led to the discussion of the effects of such 
massive movements, and suggested the thought 
that in such might be found the solution of many 
of the problems of our Cosmos. 

I found that the same physical cause had 
operated throughout our System, and that the ob- 
liquities of the axes, the eccentricities and inclina- 
tions of the orbits of its members, as well as their 
annual revolutions and unequal times of rotation, 
are the legitimate results of one great law and 
the necessary consequences of its once nebulous 
condition. 

In this discussion, as elsewhere, I have drawn 
largely on Dana's Manual of Geology, not for its 
theories, however admirable, but for its facts as 
data on which to found or strengthen my argu* 
ments. 

9 



194 

I find nothing elsewhere to contradict any of 
the statements quoted from that work, save possi- 
bly as to the present non-existence of any ante- 
Glacial species of "fish, reptile, bird or mammal." 
In general, the statement is true, and most proba- 
bly so in its broadest sense. The surviving pre- 
Glacial species belong to the lower orders. 

With these explanations, I submit my thoughts 
on these subjects to those whose matured verdict 
shall decide whether I have followed a veritable 
Angel of light or a miserable will-o'-the-wisp.* 

* I have just received Dana's New Edition of his Ma- 
nual. On comparing the portions to which I have referred, 
I find little to change. I have altered my references to cor- 
respond to its paging. 



INCLINATION OF THE EARTH'S AXIS. 



SECTION I. 



FROM the most remote historical period to 
the present day, the same alternation of sea- 
sons, and the same inequalities in the length of 
the days and nights, have prevailed, and from this 
we know, positively, that during this time the 
Inclination of the Earth's Axis, their cause, has 
not materially changed. It now amounts to nearly 
23^-°. Was it always of just this size, or was it 
once different ? If different, when did the change 
occur, and what was its cause ? 

That the present condition is not eternal, is 
evident, since at the time the Earth was an integral 
portion of the Cosmic Nebula, it had no individual 
existence, and consequently, no axis. Nor could 
it properly be said to have one, even after its avul- 
sion as a ring, from the parent mass. An axis, in 
the sense we are considering, was possible only 
after the "ring*' had been gathered into the 
spheroidal body which constituted the embryo 
planet. If that was allowed to take position in 



196 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

obedience to the laws of gravitation and motion, 
undisturbed by other forces, its axis was necessa- 
rily perpendicular to the plane of its orbit. 

For an unknown, but doubtless very long 
period after this aggregation, the Earth and Moon 
formed one Spheroidal body, having, of course, 
but one axis, which they retained up to and for a 
longer or shorter time after the latter's avulsion. 

The orbit of the Moon normally was in the 
plane of the Earth's equator, and hence, if not dis- 
disturbed, the present inclination of its orbit must 
reveal the inclination of the Earth's axis at that 
time ; in other words, their axes were then parallel. 
At the present day the axis of the first is 
inclined 5° 9' to the ecliptic, while that of the 
Earth is bent from the perpendicular 23^°. A 
separation of these axes amounting to about 18^°, 
has, therefore, occurred since the formation of our 
Satellite, which must have been due to a move- 
ment of the Moon alone, or of the Earth alone, or 
to both. 

It will be found, if I am not mistaken, that this 
difference (18-J- ) is almost wholly due to an actual 
change of position by the Earth, and in a very 
small degree to a movement of the lunar orbit. 

That the lunar orbit has undergone a less 
change of inclination than the Earth's axis, is ex- 
tremely probable, for the reason that it is now 
181° nearer the normal position than the latter. 
Indeed, La Grange's celebrated Theorem would 
seem to render it certain that the change was 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 197 

wholly a changejrf the Earth's axis, for he has 
shown that all the forces now affecting the planets 
or their satellites, act within certain limits, alter- 
nately increasing and diminishing, but making no 
change in the mean inclinations of their orbits. 
According to that, the orbit of the Moon to-day 
has precisely the same inclination that it-had at 
the first moment of separate existence, and since 
the axes then were parallel, the present difference 
is wholly due to the Earth. I shall, however, so 
far anticipate conclusions reached hereafter, as now 
to say that this does not by any means exhaust the 
subject, but that the total result of all forces now 
or ever affecting the Moon, has produced a com- 
paratively small but permanent change of the in- 
clination of its orbit, although nearly all of the 18|° 
was due to an increase of the Earth's inclination. 

The reader will therefore bear in mind that an 
increase of inclination amounting to the whole 
of the present difference between these axes, has 
actually occurred at some time since the forma- 
tion of the Moon, and before the earliest historical 
records. This was not an oscillation, but a per- 
manent change, a fact which utterly destroys the 
almost superstitious belief in the immobility of 
these axes, which is commonly entertained. 

It must, therefore, be borne distinctly in mind 
that the question, which we are about to discuss, 
is not as to the occurrence of an axial change 
since the separation of the Moon from the Earth, 
but whether it occurred before or after the nebu- 



198 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

Ions mass had become solid ; if after solidification, 
whether before or after the appearance of organic 
life ; and if the latter, at what Epoch did it take 
place ? 

From the segregation of the Moon to the ap- 
pearance of life, there are no facts known to me 
having *an y bearing on the subject ; we must seek 
to arrive at the truth by a more circuitous route. 
If it could be shown that during the earlier Geolo- 
gic Periods there was the condition necessarily 
produced by an axis nearly perpendicular, in the 
then warm climate, we should know that the in- 
crease of axial inclination had not previously oc-* 
curred. This line of inquiry is open to us. 

Geology has furnished a tolerably complete 
record of the ante-human races of plants and ani- 
mals which have flourished upon our globe. In 
this, if I mistake not, are found facts that not 
only are in accord with the reality of an increase 
of the inclination of the earth's axis, but fix within 
certain limits the date of its occurrence. 

Thanks to the labors of modern Scientists, and 
eminently to those who style themselves Evolu- 
tionists, the Uniformity of Law is so well estab- 
lished that entire confidence may be placed in 
conclusions based upon it. We are therefore 
justified in assuming that in the earlier ages of 
the world, as now, the essential conditions of life, 
apart from food, were light and heat. 

The relation of life to the amount and distri- 
bution of light, is of the most intimate character, 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 199 

and as these depend so largely upon the inclina- 
tion of the earth's axis, it is reasonable to expect 
to find in the fossils of polar regions, indications 
which shall be of great importance in the solution 
of the question under consideration. 

In Dana's Manual of Geology, p. 181 (1871), 
we are told that "no marked difference between 
the life of the Primordial Rocks in warm or cold 
climates, has been observed." " The eyes of 
Trilobites indicate that there was the full light of 
day." (p. 209.) " No proof that a diversity of 
Zones of Climate prevailed over the globe in any 
portion of the Lower Silurian Era, as far as yet 
studied." " Seven or eight United States and 
European Species are found flourishing in tropical 
profusion on the east and west shores of Boothia 
and Fury Point, on North Somerset." At the 
close of the Upper Silurian, " the living species 
in the waters between 30° and 45° were in part 
the same, or closely allied in species, with those 
that nourished between 65° and 80°." (p. 253.) 

In the Carboniferous Period we find coal-beds 
on Melville and Bathurst Islands, and Bank's 
Land. (p. 352.) " Corals common to Europe and 
United States are found in lat. 70°, others have 
been found in latitudes from 75° to 77°." (Idem.) 
" The coal-beds of the Arctic are evidences of a 
profuse growth of vegetation. The plants were 
not mosses of peat-swamps, such as now extend 
far north. Through the whole hemisphere, and 
we may say, world, there was one uniform type 



200 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

of vegetation, and there were genial waters for 
Corals and Brachiopods. The conditions between 
70° and 78° were analogous to those of the United 
States from Illinois to Texas." Reptiles of the 
Middle Mesozoic are found in lat. 77° 16' 1ST., and 
there is no reason to believe that the plants in Mel- 
ville differed essentially from those in Pennsylvania 
or in Texas. 

The italics in the above are mine. 

These facts, in reference to which other author- 
ities agree, might be extended indefinitely, but 
enough has been quoted to prove that " the same 
flora and fauna flourished abundantly " from well 
towards the tropics to lat. 78° or 80°, and that 
thus far the conditions of life at those extremes 
must have been substantially the same. 

The importance of light, as a condition of 
vigorous life, is well known. Even Corals will 
die, if sunk too far below the surface of the water,* 

* I am aware that it is usually thought that Corals die 
below a certain depth from decrease of temperature, and 
there can be no question of the fatal effect of too little heat 
upon these tiny creatures, but the experiment recorded be- 
low, certainly points clearly to the great influence of light 
upon the lower orders of animals. It is well known that 
light is necessary to the health and well-being of higher 
organizations, especially if its absence is not accompanied by 
cold. 

The fact remains that Corals do die, when sunk below 
300 feet, a depth sufficient to greatly reduce the supply of 
light. Experiments as to this influence are yet a deside- 
ratum. 

In Appletons' Journal, p. 110, 1870, I find the following : 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 201 

and plants wilLsicken and perish if deprived of 
this necessary stimulant. 

Wm. Edwards placed in a box twelve tadpoles, near the 
usual epoch of their transformation into frogs, and weighed 
them, and then plunged the box into the water of the Seine, 
at Paris. A greater number of the same lot of tadpoles were 
placed in a large vase, the water of which was changed 
daily, and in which they were fully exposed to the light 
and could come to breathe at the surface. These were in a 
few days transformed into frogs, while only two of the 
other twelve underwent this change, and not till long after- 
wards. In the comparative darkness of the deep water, ten 
of them remained in their larval state, after they had doubled 
or tripled in weight. 

The above was written before I had an opportunity of ex- 
amining Dana's " Corals and Coral Islands," where I found, 
page 118, the following statement. Its bearing upon my 
argument is obvious : • 

" As to the origin of this small range in depth — about 120 
feet — temperature must be admitted as a cause. Yet it can 
hardly, in this case, be the only cause. The range of tem- 
perature, 85° to 74°, gives sufficient heat for the develop- 
ment of the greater part of reef species, yet the temperature 
at the 100 feet plane, in the Middle Pacific, is mostly above 
74°." 

So it is not lack of warmth that kills these creatures, nor 
is it any impurity in the water, for certainly the impurities 
do not undergo any such corresponding increase of intensity. 
The pressure of the water is not an element affecting crea- 
tures that are composed of tissues filled with water, and not 
with air. The only conceivable variable element capable of 
producing any effect, is the light. 

Nor is it an objection to this view that the Corals are 
destitute of organs of sight, for in no case is the health or 
vigor affected through the eyes of any creature, and plants 
whose sensibility is marvelous, are as destitute of such 
organs as the Corals. 



202 

The effect of light/ or its absence, upon plants, 
is a matter of daily observation, and it is a rare 
thing for one to do equally well in the shade and 
in the direct rays of the Sun. If it be kept in the 
dark, but warm and moist, a pale, sickly growth 
ensues, with an absence of power to produce and 
mature seed. Indeed, death follows if the absence 
of light be sufficiently prolonged. 

If the Axis of our Earth had, in those ages, its 
present obliquity, there must have been the cor- 
responding inequality of days and nights, an 
inequality giving, in the highest latitudes where 
fossils have been found, a day, in summer, of four 
months' duration, followed, in winter, by a night 
of equal length. Hence, if there be any truth in 
Uniformity of Law, it is impossible that the samp 
plants " flourished luxuriantly " under the almost 
equal days and nights of Texas, and the four 
months' day and night of lat. 78°. 

The condition of temperature is one that can- 
not be ignored. If the earth's axis had been 
inclined as now, 23-|-°, the uniform temperature 
which prevailed * would have been impossible. 
The short nights of India suffice, by radiation and 
evaporation, to produce ice in sufficient quantities 
to be an article of traffic. How greatly would the 
effect be increased if the night continued four 

* A great preponderance of ferns and lycopodiums indi- 
cates moisture, equability of temperature, and freedom from 
frost. (Lyell, Man. Geol., p. 395.) 



203 

months instead jxjLabout twelve hours ! Radiation 
so long continued (remember, the polar climate 
was then warm and moist) would result in the 
destruction of all tropical animals. 

If to this it be said that excessive radiation 
was prevented by a covering of clouds, I answer 
that the character of the vegetation, at least to- 
wards the close of the Tertiary, forbids it, for at 
that time, in lat. 79°, were found Hazel, Poplar, 
Beech, etc. (Dana, 1874, p. 315.) " A vigorous 
growth," Lyell says. Such a flora cannot admit a 
darkened sky, nor a long night, warm and moist. 

But it may be said that the warmth of those 
polar regions was due not merely to the Sun, but 
in a much greater degree to warm currents of 
water, to low lands of moderate extent, and more 
or less to internal heat, and therefore they were not 
likely to be eo much affected by radiation during 
the absence of the Sun. And this is undoubtedly 
true ; but unless the internal heat was so great 
that life at the tropics would have been impos- 
sible, it cannot be that these causes combined 
could give, during the long polar nights, a climate 
anywhere near the same as that which prevailed 
in the same regions under the continued heat of a 
polar day. For, calling the total heat from these 
sources A, and the additional heat of the Sun B 
(no small quantity now, as navigators tell us), 
there must certainly have been a difference be- 
tween the temperature of the day and that of the 



204 INCLINATION OF EAKTH's AXIS. 

night, equal to the latter quantity, a variation of 
many degrees and sufficient to destroy any possi- 
bility of " equability." 

Moreover, the " habit " of the carboniferous 
plants was peculiarly favorable for the cold that 
came from evaporation and radiation, to produce 
its full effect. For they did not grow in great 
masses of water, as the Algae, nor on dry land, 
but in moist places, where the widely spread but 
shallow water was eminently fitted to aid in the 
process of refrigeration. 

It is said that Arctic plants are found on the 
tops of high mountains, where, although they 
have Arctic cold, they are also exposed to days 
and nights of comparatively equal length, and that 
they flourish there as well as in northern latitudes 
with their long winter nights. 

Admitting the identity of the species, which is 
questionable,* still the cases are not analogous. 
The Arctic plants, accustomed to a stagnation of 
six to nine months' duration, may well be in- 
different as to where that time is spent, whether 
in the cold and darkness of an Arctic night, or the 
cold and light of a lower latitude. But the plants 
of the Carboniferous Age were not polai^ plants at 
all, but tropical, nor were they accustomed to a 

* Darwin, Origin of Species, p. 338, says, " It should, how- 
ever, be observed that these plants are not strictly Arctic 
forms ; for, as Mr. H. C. Watson has remarked, ' in receding- 
from polar towards equatorial latitudes, the Alpine or Moun- 
tain floras really become less and less Arctic' " 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 205 

sleep of six or_jiine months, nor at that remote 
period was there any Arctic cold to produce 
hibernation, but a " warm, moist, equable atmo- 
sphere," in which they " nourished luxuriantly." 

Mutatis mutandis, the same remarks apply to 
the few plants of the temperate zone that have 
straggled to the far north (Smith's Sound), whose 
dwarfed and scanty growth is in marked contrast 
to the luxuriant growth of the coal-forming period. 
In like manner stand in sharp opposition the vig- 
orous growth on Spitzbergen, of which I have 
spoken, and the dwarfed willows that are to-day 
their successors.* 

* To the argument from Uniformity of Law, and the 
Conditions of Life, I find Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, 
page 88, making answer thus : 

" The range of intensity of light to which living plants 
can accommodate themselves, is far wider than that of heat. 
Palms have grown in hot-houses at lat. 60° N., having ex- 
tremes of 19 hours light to only 5 hours." 

Reply. The cases are far from analogous. Is there any 
evidence that Palms could " flourish luxuriantly " and ma- 
ture their seed " in a warm, moist, equable atmosphere," 
shut four months from the action of sunlight, and then 
endure its uninterrupted power for an equal time ? By the 
way, do they mature at 60° N. lat. ? On page 89, he says, 
" we should expect that in lat. 65° at least, where they 
would never remain twenty-four hours without sunlight, 
they might still exist" Quite possibly ; but surely this is 
quite different from four months' night, and "flourishing 
luxuriantly." 

" Tree ferns grow in the gloomiest and darkest part of 
the forests of warm and temperate regions." 



206 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

All writers on Geology admit the non-exist- 
ence of " Zones of Climate," in these remote pe- 

Reply. The conditions are not sufficiently alike to per- 
mit any analogy. Diffused daylight is very different from a 
warm, moist, equable night of four months' duration, fol- 
lowed by an uninterrupted day of equal length. 

" The coal plants were of perfectly distinct species (from 
living ones) ; nay, few of them, except ferns and pines, can 
be referred to genera, or even families of the existing vege- 
table kingdom. . . . They may have been endowed with a 
different constitution, enabling them to bear greater varia- 
tions of circumstances in regard to light." 

Reply. Although so many of the coal plants were dif- 
ferent from modern kinds, yet it would be contrary to all our 
ideas of plant character being affected, and I may say deter- 
mined, by its surroundings, that a flora so identical could 
have been developed under the widely different conditions 
in which we find these- plants. Moreover, the ferns and 
other vegetable productions of that period, seem to have 
been specially fitted for the large and rapid disposal of the 
superabundant carbonic acid which then existed, consti- 
tuting, as it were, an atmospheric fertilizer which would, in 
" the warm, moist, equable atmosphere " of those regions, 
have stimulated growth in the long nights. This, as we see 
now in case of vegetables kept in a " warm, moist, equable " 
but dark cellar, would result in an abnormal development 
unfitted for all plant purposes. 

But even if experiment should establish the possibility of 
ferns and other species of the lower orders of the vegetable 
kingdom " flourishing luxuriantly " in such conditions, it is 
too much to ask us to believe that the same would be true 
of the higher orders. The " vigorous growth of trees, as the 
Poplar, Alder, Beech, Plane, etc.," in lat. 79°, a growth which 
Lyell styles remarkable, occurred cotemporaneously with 
the Common Cypress of the Southern States. The vigorous 
growth in Spitsbergen of Poplar, Alder, Beech, etc., of which 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 207 

riods. The evidence is equally strong, in fact, iden- 
tically the same, that there were no Zones of Light. 
From the conditions, therefore, of light and 
heat, and the universal prevalence of identical 

mention has been made, was accompanied by the -common 
Cypress of the Southern States. (Dr. Gray.) There were two 
species of Lybocedrus in the Spitsbergen Miocene (Heer), 
and one now lives with the Redwoods of California, while 
the other occurs in the Andes of Chili. (Dana, Man., p. 520.) 
These indicate a climate very happily illustrated by the last- 
mentioned tree, a climate without extremes of cold or heat, 
" equable and mild," and in such a climate an entire flora 
of nearly 100 species could not have had a remarkably 
vigorous growtn in circumstances so different from their 
present habit, as is indicated by four months of darkness. 

If to these positive facts we add that there is no proof of 
" the difference of constitution " which Lyell suggests, other 
than the exigencies of the argument, I think we may safely 
dismiss it from further consideration. 

If to this it be replied that Willows, " stunted and. 
dwarfed," do actually grow in those same northern regions 
at the present day, notwithstanding the long nights, I reply 
that this ability to survive the present winter is no evidence 
that they could have " flourished vigorously " there when the 
entire year was warm. As has been said in reference to 
Arctic plants (or species resembling them) growing on the 
cold tops of tropical mountains, a plant that is exposed to 
sufficient cold to cause hibernation, may well be indifferent 
whether that period of torpor is passed in cold and continued 
darkness, or in cold with the tropical alternation of days and 
nights of tolerably uniform length. 

Lyell's difficulty lies in the assumption that an increase 
of the Earth's axial inclination is absolutely inadmissible. 
But the astronomical argument proves not only its possi- 
bility, but its actual occurrence. The only remaining ques- 
tion is as to the epoch at which it took place. 



208 



species, I am compelled to believe, unless " Uni- 
formity of Law " is a delusion, that down to the 
end of the Mesozoic, perhaps to the Pliocene, the 
axis of the earth had not changed from its inclina- 
tion at the epoch of its avulsion from the Moon, 
and consequently was nearly perpendicular to the 
ecliptic, a conclusion which fully accords with my 
previous assertion that the present difference, 
(nearly 18J°) between the inclination of the Moon's 
orbit and the Earth's equator (or between their 
axes) is principally due to a movement of the 
Earth itself. This we shall find confirmed here- 
after by another and entirely independent line of 
argument. 

From this time to the Glaciers, I see no evi- 
dence of Zones of light. The fauna and flora to- 
wards the end of the Tertiary, indicate a lower 
temperature, but nothing to indicate a variation 
in respect to light from previous conditions. It 
is true the earth was growing colder. The isother- 
mal lines were gradually falling towards the equa- 
tor, but this apart from evidence of polar nights 
and consequent vicissitudes of seasons. • 

This reduction of temperature was the result, 
in part, of loss of internal heat, in part of an in- 
crease of polar lands, and a change in direction of 
polar currents. 

Such a decrease of temperature in the higher 
latitudes, accords also with the fact that the Sun's 
greatest altitude, at that time, in regions outside 



ITS CAUSE, AND EPOCH. 209 

of the present Jropics, was 18-J- less than it is 
now. In the latitude of New York, the Sun then 
rose, in midsummer, only to the height it now 
attains in the north of Labrador, and at London it 
rose only as high as it now does at North Cape. 
In other words, the Sun rose at midsummer to no 
greater height than it now attains in the first week 
of April. 

There are few indications of what occurred 
during the Glacial Period. It has no fauna nor 
flora, to write its history in hieratic characters. Its 
page is almost blank ; a few rude scratches, and 
many confused blots of debris, are almost all. 
But after its close, as life and verdure again, as on 
a resurrection morning, clothed the earth, we find, 
for the first time, unmistakable signs of changing 
seasons, and, consequently, days and nights of un- 
equal length. Hence the Epoch of this great 
event, the increase of the inclination of the earth's 
axis is here, in this winter of our globe. It lies 
between the culmination of the vegetable king- 
dom and the completion of continental emergence 
on the one hand, and the development or appear- 
ance of the post-glacial fauna on the other, a 
fauna which, by all analogy, should resemble that 
of present circumpolar regions, the full develop- 
ment of fowl and water animals of the present 
day. In other words, the date of this event is to 
be found between the grasses and fruit trees of 
the last period of continental preparation, and the 
living species of water and land animals. 



210 



SECTION II. 

It now remains to seek for a Cause for the 
Increase of our Earth's Axial Inclination. 

I shall attempt this, by an examination of all 
forces possibly affecting our Globe. As far as I 
can discover, there are only five. 

1. A Miraculous Interposition. 

2. The Magnetic Influence of the Sun. 

3. Collisions with Meteors. 

4. Centrifugal force generated by the upheaval 
or depression of portions of the Globe. 

5. The attraction the Sun, Moon, and Planets 
on such upheavals. 

I dismiss as unworthy of serious consideration 
the unphilosophical and unscientific idea that 
somehow, without cause, the world in the process 
of formation from a Nebula, got a cant to one side. 
Yet this is the unexpressed belief of a large num- 
ber of men, otherwise scientific. 

A* MIRACULOUS INTERPOSITION. 

The incalculable importance of the inclination 
of the earth's axis, together with an inability to 
assign any physical cause for it, has induced many 
persons to refer it to the special interference of 
the Creator, by which they mean, not God acting 
through his laws, but outside of, or even contrary 
to his usual mode of action, and, as is implied in 
the word special, something peculiar to our planet. 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 211 

But any explanation based upon the belief 
that this condition of axial inclination is peculiar 
to our Earth, is seen to be untenable as soon as our 
view extends beyond our planet, and we learn 
that every member of the Solar System revolves 
about an axis more or less oblique ; and not only 
that, but that the axis of each orbit is also bent 
from the perpendicular. 

Moreover, the " final cause " of such an inter- 
ference, viz. that the inhabitants of the planet 
may enjoy the benefits arising from changing sea- 
sons, however much it may have affected the 
Divine mind in the case of our Earth, certainly is 
not applicable to the others. 

Jupiter's axis is too little inclined to produce 
any sensible effect. That of Venus is so oblique 
that the same spot is alternately exposed for 
months to the unendurable heat of a torrid Sun, 
which during that time never sets, and an Arctic 
winter, where for an equal time the Sun never 
rises. The Sun, where seasons are impossible, has 
an axial obliquity more than twice as great as that 
of Jupiter, while, to crown it all, Uranus has its 
axis inclined 20° more than is needed to give it 
the very seasons it now enjoys. In addition to 
all these, to say nothing of the position of the 
axis of our Moon, there are the varying inclina- 
tions of the orbital axes, which have no relation 
whatever to days or seasons. 

The fact then that the axis of every member 



212 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

of the Solar System and of every orbit is bent from 
the perpendicular, clearly indicates the action of 
some general law implanted in the constitution 
of the Cosmos. While the variety in the effects 
produced, proves that it acted on each separately, 
that is to say, after its segregation from the origi- 
nal nebula, the individuality of character im- 
parted, reveals the existence of some cooperating 
local force. 

I am therefore compelled to conclude that the 
solution of this problem is not to be found in a 
Miraculous Interposition. 

THE MAGNETIC INFLUENCE OF THE SUN. 

The Sun, as is well known, has a magnetic 
influence, since the needle responds to certain 
phenomena in that body. 

Is the present position of the Earth's axis a 
residual of some former state of greater magnetic 
power ? 

Omitting all reference to the fact that such a 
condition is purely hypothetical, I find reasons to 
reject the proposed solution of the problem in the 
laws of Magnetic action. 

When a large magnet is held at some distance 
from another which is free to move, the latter at 
once assumes a position parallel to it and follows 
every change of its position. Consequently, if 
this power had affected the earth and other planets, 
their axes must have been at that time parallel to 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 213 

the Sun's, and they should even now retain the 
same degree of obliquity, a result so contrary to 
the present facts that the only conclusion possible 
is that the Magnetic Influence of the Sun is not 
the force we seek. 

To this it may be added that such an explana- 
tion, if true, would leave the inclinations of the 
orbits unaccounted for. 

THE EFFECTS OF METEORS. . 

In the opinion of some, the collision of meteors 
with the planets has played an important part 
in the formation and arrangement of the Solar 
System. 

A collision with a meteor. of sufficient size 
would undoubtedly affect the inclination of the 
planet's axis, as well as that of its orbit, and 
would increase or diminish the latter' s eccentricity. 
But as meteors are extra-Cosmical bodies, coming 
from every part of the Universe, the probability 
of their producing as their resultant, any great 
effect, is infinitely small, since a blow in one di- 
rection would sooner or later be neutralized by 
one in the opposite. 

Moreover, any such collision on a great scale 
upon the earth, since life appeared, would have 
left unmistakable evidence of its action. And if 
to this it be said the present condition is the re- 
sult of an infinite number of small collisions, the 
difficulty is increased, for that would render it 



214 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

necessary to show a preponderance of blows in one 
direction for an infinite number of years. 

The difficulties are too great, the hypotheses 
too many, for the acceptance of a theory having 
so small a foundation in facts.* 

CENTRIFUGAL FORCES. 

If our earth were a perfect sphere, and a por- 
tion had been so upheaved as to project beyond 
the surface, it follows from the laws of motion that 
the centrifugal force generated by this mass, as it 
revolved about the axis of the sphere, would not 
be neutralized, but would be a free force ; and it 
has been said that this, exerted long enough, 
would give any required inclination to the axis. 
This force I now propose to examine. 

Let Fig. 1 represent a homogeneous sphere 
revolving freely on its axis AA', in the direction of 
the arrow-head, and let M be a heavy mass, small 
in proportion to the sphere, fixed upon and pro- 
jecting from the surface at a sensible distance 
from the pole. 

The centrifugal force generated by M will 
cause it to recede from the pole ; but as the sphere 
revolves, M moves to the left, and still drawing 
away from the pole, there results a movement to- 
wards !N" and again at M" towards W. In other 

* It may be true that meteors have more or less to do 
with the varying masses of the planets, but this lies outside 
of my present inquiry; 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 215 




Figure 1. 

words, there arises a movement from A on every 
side towards the equator, which can only occur by 
M apparently sliding at each revolution a little 
farther down the great circle PMO until it ar- 
rives at the equator, when the longest diameter 
(that passing through M) w T ill be perpendicular to 
the axis, and the system again in equilibrium. 
Of course M, being fixed upon the sphere, causes 
it to move in the same sense. 

From this it follows that the latitude of M 
has changed, while the axis of the sphere has 
remained parallel to itself. 

If, instead of ^, mass added to the sphere, a 
portion had been removed, forming a depression, 
a precisely similar result would have followed, but 
in a contrary sense. 



216 

A mass equal to M, placed at the opposite 
extremity of a diameter passing through it, would 
double its effect, while an equal depression at 
that point, would neutralize it. And in general, 
if the great circle passing through M be divided 
into quadrants, calling that in which M is 1, and 
numbering to the right, the effect of M will be 
increased by a protuberant mass in 1 or 3, and 
diminished by one in 2 or 4 ; while a depression 
would produce the opposite result. 

From all of which it follows that no possible 
combination of elevations and depressions can, by 
their centrifugal force, produce any effect upon 
the direction of the axis of the earth.* 

* It may prove interesting to verify this truth by actual 
experiment. For this a simple modification of the Gyroscope 
may be used. Procure a ball of hard wood some five 
inches in diameter, with an axis of wire projecting an inch 
or so at each pole. Procure also a scale-beam of light wood, 
of the same length as the axis. Suspend this in the usual 
manner by a light cord, taking care that the beam shall be so 
adj usted that when loaded the centre of gravity and point 
of support shall coincide. At the extremities attach equal 
strings with loops of wire in which may rest the extremities 
of the axis of the sphere. 

This apparatus will possess great freedom of motion, and 
at the same time the sphere will remain at rest in any posi- 
tion, being in all respects in a state of indifferent equilibrium. 
When set to revolving, it will exhibit the usual phenomena 
of the Gyroscope. 

A piece of lead may then be fixed with a screw upon the 
surface at. say, 45° from the equator, and another of equal 
size and weight at the opposite end of the diameter, pass- 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 217 

The fact thatTthe earth is not a sphere, but 
an oblate spheroid, presents no real change of 
condition. For it may be considered a sphere 
with an equatorial protuberance completely belt- 
ing it. 

In this case, as M recedes from A, the portion 
of the belt below it will recede an equal distance 
from the equator, while on the opposite side the 
protuberance will rise above it, and these being 
in reference to M, in quadrants 2 and 4, will 
tend to neutralize its effect, the one increasing 
and the other diminishing as M approaches 
the equator, until the system is again in equi- 
librium. 

Hence, in an oblate spheroid, as well as in a 
sphere, it would be possible to make the latitude of 
places vary indefinitely, but no combination of 
elevations or depressions could, by their centri- 
fugal forces, affect the position of the axis. 

If, in the last case, M were removed, the pro- 

ing through the first. The system will still be in equi- 
librium. 

If, now, the sphere be made to revolve with moderate 
rapidity, it will rotate, not around the original axis, but 
around one nearly parallel to its normal position, while the 
former (the original axis) will revolve with the sphere, the 
projecting end describing a circle about the new pole. The 
lack of absolute parallelism is due to the difficulty of start- 
ing the instrument without disturbing its position, as well 
as to its having to move a mass outside of itself which is not 
symmetrically placed. 

10 



218 INCLINATION 

tuberant belt would return to the equator, and 
every place resume its former latitude.* 

From all these considerations I am brought to 
the conclusion that the power which affected the 
position of our planet's axis, does not lie in Cen- 
trifugal Forces. 

The only conceivable force remaining is 

THE ATTRACTION OF THE SUN, MOON, AND PLA- 
NETS ON MASSES ELEVATED ABOVE THE 
TRUE SURFACE OF THE EARTH. 

For the purposes of this and similar discus- 
sions, the earth may be considered, without error, 
as a motionless body placed at the extremity of a 
rigid radius of its orbit, but able to move with 
absolute freedom about its own centre. For, the 
forces under consideration, i. e. the attraction of 
the Sun, etc., being at right angles to the diurnal 
and orbital movements, will produce the same 
effect upon the planet as if those movements had 
not been in existence. A body driven east with 
a velocity of five miles an hour, and impinged 
upon by another force capable of sending it south 
at the rate of seven miles in the same time, will, 

* I have not thought it necessary for my purpose to dis- 
tinguish between the direct centrifugal force of M, and what 
I may term its " turning power," into which it can easily be 
resolved. The former increases as the cosine of the latitude, 
while the latter increases as the sin lat. x cos lat., and is 
therefore zero at the pole, increases to 45° , and again becomes 
zero at the equator. 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 219 

it is true, describe the resultant of both forces, 
but it is equally true that it will go exactly as far 
south as if the east force had not been applied. 

In brief, each force perforins its work as if it 
was the only one acting. 

Omitting, therefore, all consideration of orbital 
or axial motion, we shall suppose the earth a 
homogeneous sphere placed 91,500,000 miles from 
the Sun, but free to move in any manner about 
its centre of gravity. 

It is evident that the solar attraction can not 
produce any movement, since its influence upon 
one part is counterbalanced by another symmetri- 
cally placed. 

If the axis is perpendicular to the ecliptic, the 
attraction of the Sun upon a polar upheaval will be 
equally without effect, since no internal movement 
can change the position of the centre of gravity 
(Principia), and a polar upheaval would necessi- 
tate a sufficient movement of the remaining mass 
in the opposite direction, to keep the equilibrium 
undisturbed, while the intensity of the attracting 
force on each molecule would be unchanged. 

But if the axis were sensibly inclined, say 5° 9', 
and the sphere elongated in the same direction 
(i. e. a polar upheaval), then one pole would be 
nearer the centre of attraction than the other, and 
acted upon with greater intensity. Hence it 
would be drawn towards the ecliptic precisely in 



the same manner and for the same reason as is 
now the equatorial protuberance. 




Figure 2. 

Let Fig. 2 represent a homogeneous sphere, 
with axis PP' inclined to the ecliptic, S being the 
Sun. Suppose the sphere to be elongated, as 
represented by the dotted lines. Then, since P is 
nearer the Sun than P', it will be attracted more 
strongly, and consequently drawn down to the 
ecliptic, and if no force opposes, its momentum 
will carry it as far below, until stopped by the 
action of S, when it will return to the ecliptic, and 
so vibrate back and forth like a pendulum. 

An equatorial protuberance, for similar rea- 
sons, would be an opposing force, which being 
null when the equator coincides with the ecliptic, 
increases as the ang. SOE increases, until, be- 
coming equal to the turning force exerted by 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 221 

P and P', the^system again comes into equi- 
librium.* 

From this it appears that three conditions are 
necessary to give a homogeneous sphere the posi- 
tion occupied by our earth. 

1st. That the axis should already be sensibly 
inclined. 

2d. That there should be a polar upheaval. 

3d. That there should be an equatorial pro- 
tuberance. 

The part which each of these performs has 
already been sufficiently indicated. It is in evi- 
dence that the earth's axis once had an inclination 

* It may, however, be thought that the revolution of the 
earth upon its axis somehow imparts such stability to it that 
a polar attraction would produce no effect. 

The same little instrument described on page 216, note, will 
be useful as illustrating the truth of the statement which I 
have endeavored to establish. 

From the sphere, remove the lead weights used in the 
experiment described a few pages back. We then have 
a modification of the common gyroscope. Turn the instru- 
ment to the right or left, to give the supporting string some 
slight degree of torsion. Then set the sphere in rapid rota- 
tion on its axis, and allow it freedom of motion. It will 
invariably be found (if the experiment is performed with 
reasonable care not to impart lateral or circular motion by 
the hand at the moment of ceasing to hold the instrument) 
that the exceedingly slight force exerted by the tension of 
the string, acting as it does, perpendicularly to the axis at 
each pole, will cause the sphere, while revolving rapidly on 
its horizontal axis, to also revolve slowly about a vertical 
one. Q. E. D. 



222 

of about 5° 9', while its present oblateness leaves 
no question as to the fulfilment of the third con- 
dition. 

It remains then, only to consider the second, 
and also whether any possible upheaval could 
have been large enough to overcome the stability 
of the equatorial belt. 

As to the existence of polar upheavals. There 
is scattered everywhere over the Geologic page 
evidence in abundance that immense upheavals 
and corresponding depressions have been frequent 
in the history of the globe, from the earliest 
periods to the present moment. 

In general, these occurred indifferently in 
every portion of the globe, and were not of the 
polar character required. But the Glacial Period, 
towards which so much independent testimony 
points as the epoch of this great movement, was 
peculiar for its enormous northern and southern 
upheavals. These not only gave the kind of up- 
heavals for which we are seeking, but at the same 
time, by the necessary, corresponding equatorial 
depression, by so much diminished the resisting 
power of the equatorial belt. 

The vast extent of these polar upheavals is 
plainly indicated by the large area of country over 
which the ice of the Glacial Period has left its 
traces, an area extending from the poles at least 
50° towards the equator. As to the height of the 
movement, or even the thickness of the ice then 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 223 

formed, there are- no data on which to form any 
exact estimate. That it must have been considera- 
ble is shown by the fact that stones frozen fast in 
its under surface were pushed over the tops of 
most of the mountains in the New England and 
Middle States, as proved by their traces or striae 
graved on the surface rocks.* 

* In estimating the area of this ice-cap, it must be borne 
in mind that while the striae are proof of the former presence 
of a glacier, the opposite is by no means true. The striae 
and the debris are evidence of ice in motion, and they also 
reveal the direction of the movement. If from any cause 
the under surface was at rest, all these indications would 
be absent. It is quite possible to imagine an immense ex- 
tent of country covered with a great depth of ice and snow, 
which should leave none of the characteristic marks of 
glaciers. 

Suppose a plain some thousands of miles in diameter, 
covered with a moderately thick layer of ice. The edge of 
this ice might even be vertical ; but as the height increased, 
as layer after layer was applied one above the other, there 
would at length be a pushing out of the lower portion and a 
dropping down of the " shoulder " of the ice until a point 
was reached when the rigidity of the ice itself and the 
friction should become equal to the moving force. This 
movement would extend into the great mass to a distance 
depending upon the height, i. e. the pressure, but in no case 
could it reach inward farther than the point vertically under 
the shoulder ; in fact, it could not reach as far as that. All 
inside of this point would be at rest, and consequently all the 
immense area within such points would be at rest, and hence, 
for many millions of square miles so covered, there would 
be neither striae nor debris. If the surface of the plain 
abounded in inequalities, or if it was bounded by a rim of 



224 

The absence of marks of great convulsions is 
further evidence that this upheaval was due to no 
local action^ but rather that it was a telluric oscil- 
lation, too vast to exhibit the ordinary results in 
contorted strata. Such immense lines admitted of 
flexure under sufficient force acting with infini- 
tesimal velocity. 

high lands, the needed depth of ice to produce motion would 
be greater, and the area of no motion larger. 

I can imagine a polar ice-cap where there should be no 
motion even at the border. Suppose this plain covered 
with ice and snow in such a manner that the lower edge 
is very thin, increasing imperceptibly in thickness as one 
goes towards the pole, but with no high land to give initial 
motion. It is probable that the ice might accumulate for 
centuries, and then melt and pass away and leave no traces 
behind it. 

Such a plain is that reaching from the Gulf of Mexico to 
the Arctic Ocean. 

Should there be on our supposed plain isolated mountains 
or land slopes, with or without mountain chains, there would 
be local action as the ice-cap gathered ; followed, however, by 
a period of quiescence, as it became more truly telluric in 
extent and blotted out the surface inequalities. As the ice 
covering was disappearing, these mountains and slopes 
would often produce the phenomena incident to local gla- 
ciers, ploughing over the ground, grinding to powder the 
rocks, or scoring their record on the polished surfaces. Each 
of these elevations might become a local centre, from which 
the ice moved in lines somewhat radial. As it sank away, 
new and secondary centres of movement might be developed 
until the force was exhausted. 

Hence there may be indications of local glaciers, which 
in fact are the residua, so to speak, of the great telluric ice 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 225 

From all these considerations I think there 
can be no question as to the existence of the hind 
of upheaval which my theory requires. Nor is it 
any reasonable objection to it that I am unable to 
give a satisfactory explanation of its cause. My 
ignorance has no bearing upon the actual occur- 
rence of such a movement. 

There are, however, some facts well worth con- 
sidering in this connection. 

Upheavals and depressions seem to be normal 
to all members of our system. They are occur- 
ring now on a vast scale in the Sun. If some of 
the best observers can be relied upon, upheavals 
that dwarf all that our theory calls for upon our 
planet, are now taking place in Saturn. 

Sir William Herschel reports observing such 
an upheaval on the " shoulders " of that planet, 
so immense that the greatest and least diameters 
were to each other as 36 to 32, that of the equator 
being only 35, indicating a movement of more 
than 1000 miles outward on a side, or reducing it 

• 

cap, in places where the latter has left no traces of its 
presence. 

Mr. Lyell, in his Principles of Geology, page 107, says, 
" We must not omit to dwell on the important effects to 
which a wide expanse of perpetual snow would give rise. 
It is probable that nearly the whole sea from the poles to 
lat. 45° would be frozen over." 

Such an ice-cap would deserve to be called telluric, and 
in time would freeze that portion of the ocean solid to its 
lowest depths. 

10* 



226 

to the scale of our -earth, indicating an upheaval 
above the surface of the sea of more than 100 
miles, a movement vastly exceeding the amount 
needed for changing the position of the earth's 
axis. 

I condense the following from the Cornhill 
Magazine, September, 1873 : That movements are 
now going on in some of the planets and in the 
Sun, on an immense scale, is probable, from the 
results of the most careful observations. In 1803, 
Schroter found that Saturn's figure was distorted. 
In 1855, Coolidge noticed the swollen appearance 
of this planet about lat. 20° ; yet not long after, 
it resumed its usual form. The two Bonds have 
seen the square shoulders, and have noticed other 
variations of shape. It seems to have been ren- 
dered probable by Secchi and others, that our 
Sun's globe varies in diameter. 

As to the mode of action by which crumpling 
of the strata was avoided, I might suggest what, 
at least, is not physically impossible. If the equa- 
tor became slightly elliptic, its perimeter would 
not be diminished, while its area would become 
less, necessitating a northern and southern pro- 
longation. If the perimeter became slightly less, 
if, for example, the present diameter became the 
major axis, the polar-warcl movement would be 
vastly greater. There is even now, if astronomers 
are not mistaken, a residuum perhaps of that 
movement, in the present ellipticity of the equa- 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 227 

tor, one of whose diameters is nearly two miles 
shorter than that at right angles to it. If the 
longer diameter remained unchanged and there 
was no radial condensation (of which there can 
be no positive evidence), such a shortening of the 
other diameter required an upheaval of 33,000,000 
cubic miles about each pole. 

Unaccountable as at present such a movement 
appears, it is really no more extraordinary than 
those which show their traces in the irregular, 
perimeter of a section of the earth parallel to the 
equator, and far less so than those which have 
been noted in Saturn. 

Having established the fact that a circumpolar 
upheaval has occurred, it remains to inquire how 
large a one would be needed, and whether one of 
that extent could have occurred. It is no longer 
a question of kind, but of degree. 

And first let me caution the reader against 
concluding the non-existence of a sufficient up- 
heaval on account of what seems to him its great 
magnitude, for he must remember that but little 
(nothing ?) is known of the cause of any upheaval, 
large or small, and in our ignorance we have no 
facts whatever on which "to estimate its possi- 
bilities. 

To arrive at any positive results it is neces 
sary first to determine the cubic amount of a suf- 
ficient polar upheaval. 

To reduce the spheroid to a condition of indif- 



228 

ferent equilibrium, it would be sufficient to change 
it to a sphere, a change necessitating a shortening 
of the equatorial radius of about four and a half 
miles. The surface of this sphere, whose con- 
tents would be exactly the same as the spheroid's, 
would cut the surface of the latter in the thirtieth 
parallel of latitude, and would recede from it uni- 
formly to the poles, when the distance between 
them would be 8.8 miles. This earth-cap, cover- 
ing each pole, is the measure of the mass to be 
added to the spheroid by what would be, in ef- 
fect, a transfer^ from equatorial regions. The con- 
tents of these two caps would be approximately 
293,000,000 of cubic miles. Any excess would 
turn the axis from the perpendicular. 

Inconceivably great as is this amount, it is less 
than one-eighth of one per cent, of the entire 
mass. On a common thirteen-inch globe, its 
maximum of elevation would be less than one- 
seventieth of an inch, an amount not visible on 
such a figure to the closest observer. 

Still, relatively small as it is, it is yet abso- 
lutely large, and needs to be accounted for. 

Mr. Lyell, Prin. Geo., p. Ill, has given an 
imaginary map of the globe, showing a possible 
upheaval of polar lands and depression of equato- 
rial, such, however, that the amount of water and 
land surface remains unchanged. This he pre- 
sents as a su-pposable condition that would account 
for the cold of the glaciers. As the land is raised 



CAUSE FOK INCREASE. 229 

above the oceanJbottom three or more miles, we 
should, if Mr. Lyell's hypothesis became a reality, 
have in that a portion of the transference re- 
quired,* no small part either, for the continents 
with their shoulders and neighboring shallows 
cover an area of nearly 70,000,000 square miles. 
This, multiplied by the average ocean depth, 3 
miles, gives say 210,000,000 cubic miles. The 
area of these polar caps (i. e. from 30° N. and S.) 
of which we have spoken, is about 100,000,000 
square miles. If this were raised on an average 
5,280 feet, it would add as many cubic miles. 

To this it may rightly be answered that a part 
of the present land is in these very circumpolar 
regions, and hence, in their case, there would be 
no change of condition. Very true ; but suppose 
the mass uplifted is in addition to the land already 
in those parts, then the entire upheaval would be 
a turning power. On these hypotheses, with the 
effect of the equator becoming elliptical, we have 
376,000,000 cubic miles, sufficient to place the 
globe in a state of indifferent equilibrium and 
leave free 83,000,000 cubic miles. Another mile 
of elevation would add 100,000,000. Such an 
elevation undoubtedly would commence with a 
gradual slope and increase towards the pole, where 
a given mass would be most efficient. 

* I use the words transfer and transference for conve- 
nience merely. There was the same result that a transfer 
would have produced, but really no transfer, save, as I shall 
show, of water. 



230 INCLINATION OF EARTh's AXIS. 

There is another force of no mean amount, jet 
to be considered. I mean the actual transfer of 
water from the equator to circumpolar regions, 
and the accumulation of it there as ice. 

I have already discussed the impossibility of 
predicating the absence of glaciers, because the 
characteristic striae are wanting. The ice over so 
vast an extent may have come and gone and left 
no sign over large tracts. The polar regions be- 
came intensely cold, partly owing to the moderate 
surface of water, partly to the general elevation of 
the land, partly to derangement of warm cur- 
rents, and partly to the small altitude of the sun, 
which then rose to a height 18-J- less than at 
present. It may be that our earth was in one of 
those epochs of greatest eccentricity, of which Mr. 
Croll speaks, or, as has been suggested, our system 
was passing through a colder portion of space. 
These reasons may all be considered as in part 
explaining the intense cold, although for myself I 
cannot accept as true either of the last two. But 
the fact remains, the circumpolar regions became 
during the epoch of polar upheavals intensely 
cold. Land and water became covered, down to 
45° and more, with a coat of ice.* The equatorial 
waters, by the law of their being, could never 
cease to evaporate, as long as any water remained, 
until the air became permanently saturated. Such 
a saturation could never occur, for the vapors 
* Lyell, Elements Geol., p. 107. 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 231 

rising and passinglnto the cold regions North and 
South, discharged their moisture, which, changing 
to ice, remained. The vapors continuing to rise, 
continued to be condensed, towards the cold poles. 
The operation was precisely similar to that of the 
common philosophical instrument called a cry- 
ophorus. Every one who has witnessed this experi- 
ment has seen the water in the warm bulb pass 
as vapor into the cold one, where it is condensed 
and frozen, the process continuing until the water 
is exhausted. 

Hence it follows that there was a steady trans- 
ference of water from equatorial to polar regions, 
and but for the melting at the lower edge of the 
glacier, the whole ocean must have been, in time, 
exhausted. The result was an immense polar ice- 
cap falling away towards the lower edges, while 
the northern and southern seas became frozen solid. 

If one-half the equatorial waters was thi\s 
transferred, the ice-cap must have been equal in 
weight to a layer of the same materials as. the con- 
tinents, containing something like 50,000,000 cubic 
miles. 

Taking all these into account, w r e have an excess 
over the polar earth-caps sufficient to make our 
spheroid a sphere, amounting to say 233,000,000 
cubic miles. As this excess was directly or indi- 
rectly taken from the equatorial portion, the defi- 
ciency there acted in the same sense, and really 
doubled the effect. 



232 

In comparing the effect of a circumpolar excess 
with the influence of the Sun and Moon on the 
equatorial protuberance, it must be borne in mind 
that the former was a constant force, while the 
latter is intermittent, varying twice in a year from 
its maximum to zero. 

I have thus roughly indicated the possible 
working of forces of upheaval. The greatest, 
and I may say the only difficulty, is their vastness. 

I cannot say that I attach much weight to the 
idea that all land became polar. Perhaps it would 
be better to say, without attempting any details, 
that this movement was caused' by immense polar 
upheavals, aided by the inconceivably great ac- 
cumulation of ice. 

This storing of the waters of low latitudes as 
ice in circumpolar regions, is an explanation of a 
difficulty that has probably occurred to the reader 
in reference to the shortening of the equatorial 
radius, viz. that such a shortening would, by the 
ordinary laws of motion, cause a gathering of all 
the water of the globe at those parts, and a con- 
sequent submergence of the continents, a deluge 
of whose existence there has no proof been dis- 
covered. But since the water was carried by the 
atmosphere North and South, and then deposited 
as ice, any such catastrophe was rendered impos- 
sible. Instead of a deluge, there was more pro- 
bably a drought. 

One other fact is not out of place. If the con- 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. 233 

tinents retain eeHrheir present altitude, the per- 
sistent evaporation, with consequent loss of heat, 
would of itself reduce the equatorial temperature, 
while the sinking of the surface of the ocean would 
produce- the same effect as elevating the land, 
giving it a rarer atmosphere, and less power of 
retaining solar heat. 

Thus the movement by its own effects intensi- 
fied itself. Such effect, moreover, would explain the 
fact that the destruction of the higher pre-glacial 
animal life appears to have been so universal. 



It remains only to supplement this discussion 
by showing that the present difference between 
the inclination of the earth's axis and that of the 
moon's orbit is not in any large degree due to a 
movement of the latter. 




FlGUKE 3. 



Let Fig. 3 represent the Sun, Moon, and Earth, 
while the Moon's orbit yet coincided with the 
plane of the Earth's equator. We will suppose 
too, that the axis PP' was inclined in a sensible 



234: INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

degree to the ecliptic, say 5°, a condition whose 
origin and cause will be considered in " Cos- 
mology." 

At that epoch, then, the difference between 
the inclination of the Earth's axis and that of the 
Moon's orbit, was null. It is evident that the 
Sun's attraction upon M could not affect the mean 
position of its orbit, for the decreased inclination 
at M will be nearly counteracted at M', leaving a 
small residual in favor of M, on account of its less 
distance from the Sun. This small residual will 
be fully counterbalanced when the Earth has 
moved to the opposite side of its orbit, giving 
then to M' an exactly equal superiority over M, 
and leaving the total effect absolutely nothing, in 
exact harmony with La Grange's Theorem. 

In precisely the same manner it can be shown 
that the influence of the other members of the 
Solar System lying outside of the Moon's orbit, 
will be equally null. 

Ergo, the present difference of inclination 
which we are considering, is not due in the least 
to a movement of the Moon caused by any action 
of Sun or planets. 

Could it have been due to a movement of the 
Moon, caused by the Earth ? 

The Earth, as a true sphere, could produce no 
movement whatever. We must, then, look to the 
effect of upheavals. I shall show that no con- 
siderable part of this difference, 18-|°, is due to a 



CAUSE FOR INCREASE. ' 235 

movement produced by the attraction of massive 
upheavals upon the Earth's surface. 

Suppose, all things remaining as before, a 
great upheaval at one of the poles P, the Moon 
being at M'. Evidently M' would be drawn to- 
wards the ecliptic, but when it had passed on 180° 
to M, it would be drawn an equal distance away 
from the ecliptic. Hence no permanent effect 
whatever could be produced. There certainly is, 
at the present day, a separation of 18-J- . I have 
shown that it could not possibly be due to the 
movement of the Moon's orbit, hence there is no 
escaping the conclusion that it is due to a move- 
ment of the Earth itself. 

Quite possibly the reader may here say, True, 
there could be no movement of the Moon gene- 
rated by massive upheavals upon the Earth's sur 
face, providing that the two axes then had the 
same inclination, and so far your proposition is 
the enunciation of a fact. But as you have shown 
that a polar upheaval upon the Earth would, on 
condition of a prior inclination to a sensible 
amount (5°), result in a movement of the axis, so 
it may have happened that 'from some cause the 
Earth's axis was inclined a little more, causing the 
plane of its equator and the Moon's orbit no longer 
to coincide, then perhaps the remainder of the 
18$-° was due to a movement of the Moon. 

I shall endeavor to show that even if these 
were inclined at any supposable angle, very little 



236 

effect could be produced upon the Moon's posi- 
tion. For, first, the distance of the Moon from 
the centre of the Earth being sixty times greater 
than that of the polar mass P, it is evident that 
any force exerted by P to move M, will, by the 
laws of composition of forces, act at a great mechani- 
cal disadvantage, while the opposite will be true of 
the effect of M to turn the Earth, a difference much 
more than sufficient to counterbalance the dif- 
ference in their sizes (masses). Second, If the 
Moon was raised just as many miles as the pole P 
is moved from its position, the angular change 
would be far from equal, a movement of 10° on 
the Earth being equal in miles to only 10' at the 
Moon. 

Hence the conclusion, as far as I can see, is 
unavoidable, that the movement of the lunar orbit 
was very small ; a result fully corroborated by the 
position of all the other satellites save one, the cause 
of whose singularity will be hereafter discussed, 
and consequently that the present difference be- 
tween the inclination of the Earth's axis and the 
axis of the Moon's orbit, is almost wholly due to 
a movement of the Earth itself. 

CONCLUSION. 

I conclude then, that the attraction of the Sun 
and Moon upon polar protuberances, is the physi- 
cal cause of the present inclination of the axis of 
the Earth. 



RESUME. 237 

A polar elevation acted upon by Sun and 
Moon, and in some degree by the planets, turned 
the pole of the earth towards the ecliptic in an 
ever-widening spiral, until, the mass returning to 
its normal position, the movement ceased, owing 
to the attraction of these same bodies on the equa- 
torial belt. This attraction acting by itself would 
have caused the equatorial protuberance to draw 
the equator not only to the ecliptic, but by the 
usual laws of matter to pass on as far beneath, 
until again stopped by the attractive force, to be 
again drawn back, thus, like a mighty pendulum, 
vibrating back and forth forever. This result 
now actually exists, disguised, however, by the 
axial and orbital motion of the earth, and resulting 
in the precession of the Equinoxes. 

It may be noticed as a curious circumstance 
that during the predominance of the polar attrac- 
tion, instead of a precession of the Equinoxes, 
there was an apparent movement in the opposite 
direction. 



RESUME. 



AS TO THE EPOCH OF AXIAL CHANGE OF INCLINATION. 

1. There was no telluric axis before the Earth 
was segregated from the great Nebula. 

2. The normal lunar-telluric axis was perpen- 



238 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

dicular to the Cosmic equator, and hence, to the 
plane of the Earth's orbit. 

3. The lunar orbit is now inclined 5° 9' 

4. The Earth's axis is now inclined 23J°. 

5. The two were once parallel. They now 
differ nearly 18^°. 

6. This difference is subsequent to the avul- 
sion of the Moon, and is, in only a very small 
degree, due to a movement of its orbit. 

7. This difference is almost wholly due to a 
movement of the Earth. 

8. From the uniform distribution of fossils, we 
learn . that the Earth's axis, till well towards the 
Epoch of the Glaciers, and probably into that 
period to some extent, was almost perpendicular. 

9. The closing period of the time of perpen- 
dicular axis, the Tertiary, was distinguished for 
the completion of land development, and biologi- 
cally for the appearance and predominance of 
modern Grasses, Angiosperms, and Palms, i. e. 
" the tree yielding fruit whose seed is in itself." 

After this followed the Glacial Epoch. 

10. At the earliest period after this Epoch of 
which we have any knowledge, the axis of the 
Earth had its present inclination. 

Hence, as this change occurred after the Ter- 
tiary, and before the Historic period, its epoch is 
between them, i. e. in the Glacial Epoch. 



CAUSE OF AXIAL CHANGE. 239 

AS TO THE CAUSE OF AXIAL CHANGE. 

1. It was not a cause outside of the laws 
governing the rest of the System. 

2. It cannot be due to Magnetic forces. 

3. It cannot be due to collision with Meteors. 

4. It cannot be due to any centrifugal force. 

5. It could have been produced by the attrac- 
tion of the Sun, Moon, and Planets upon polar 
upheavals. 

6. No other force yet known could affect the 
Earth's position. 

AS TO THE REALITY OF SUCH UPHEAVALS. 

1. Immense upheavals are now occurring on 
Saturn and on the Sun, as well as, upon a smaller 
scale, upon the Earth.* 

2. We know of no law or circumstance deter- 
mining their limits, and are equally ignorant of 
their cause and of bounds to its power. At this 
moment there is a difference between the lowest 

* Mr. Horner, in his Address to the British Association, 
1846, p. 63, says : " That land in various parts of the earth 
has undergone movements of elevation and depression, and 
that it has been subject to such oscillations at all times up 
to the present day, admits, I think, of no doubt." He quotes 
Mr. Darwin as saying that " daily it is forced home upon 
the mind of the Geologist, that nothing, not even the wind 
that blows, is so unstable as the level of the crust of this 
earth." Strong language, and probably uttered under the 
impulse of strong feeling, yet sufficiently exact to fully 
sustain my position. 



240 INCLINATION OF EARTH'S AXIS. 

depression and the highest elevation of about 16 
miles. 

3. Polar upheavals occurred during the Glacial 
Epoch on a scale surpassing any telluric move- 
ments of which we have any knowledge. 

4. There was at the same time an extraordi- 
nary transfer of water from equatorial regions to 
polar, where it was piled up as ice, thus diminish- 
ing the equatorial protuberance and increasing the 
polar upheaval.* 

* Since the above was in type, I have seen the very able 
article of Messrs. Newcomb and Holden, in the American 
Journal of Arts and Sciences, October, 1874, which appears 
to dispose of the existence of periodic variations of the Solar 
diameter. Those of a temporary and irregular character, 
however, may exist, indeed, must exist, if the upheaved 
masses of Hydrogen, or other matter, be considered as part 
of the Sun, since a diameter measured through such an up- 
heaval would be longer than one measured elsewhere. Regu- 
lar periodic changes of real diameter are inconceivable, but 
spasmodic changes are normal to the whole system, and 
although subject to law, yet it is a law so complicated that 
as yet it has been impossible to do more than to record their 
occurrence. » 

One word as to the strange distortions of Saturn. It is 
suggested that the'&e are in some way due to the attraction 
of its Satellites ; but, if this were so, they would necessarily 
recur in a Cycle, giving a rhythm to their movements of 
which there are no indications. 



EPOCH OF AXIAL CHANGE. 241 



ANOTHER THEORY. 

One of the peculiar advantages of a phenome- 
nal description is that it cannot be destroyed. It 
possesses a vitality that refuses to yield to friend 
or foe. Positive refutations equally with errone- 
ous explanations, leave it unharmed. Thus it will 
be with the Mosaic account of the fourth day's 
work ; if it represent actual occurrences, its truth- 
fulness is in no degree dependent upon the cor- 
rectness of our theories. Hence, should the reader 
be able to show that the explanation here given, 
has no ground in the facts of our world's history, 
it would be grossly illogical for him to deduce the 
conclusion that the Narrative itself is in like pre- 
dicament. 

I have developed in the preceding " Inquiry " 
what seems to me the true exposition of the work 
of the fourth day, and have endeavored to coordi- 
nate all the physical facts bearing upon the subject. 
There has also occurred to me another Theory, 
which I give for what it is worth. It accords 
with the facts of the world's history better than 
any explanation of which I have read, and, if I over- 
estimate the value and truthfulness of my solution, 
may aid in obtaining the true one. It is not sat- 
isfactory to myself, because it lacks that sharp 
literalism which seems to me one of the most 
11 



24:2 

marked peculiarities of the Mosaic Account, and 
does not follow the text into every phase of ex- 
pression. It lacks, too, that marvelous interlinear 
reading, so characteristic of the preceding verses. 
We may suppose, then, that the earlier Geo- 
logical Ages, at least after the Cretaceous, had 
a sky nearly as clear and a Sun as bright as 
ours, and that under its genial beams " the 
earth brought forth grasses, herbs, and the tree 
yielding fruit whose seed is in itself" (i. e. an- 
giosperms and palms), as well as the varied pre- 
glacial fauna. That towards the close of the 
Tertiary, when such a flora had become dominant, 
the cold of the telluric glacial winter set in, and 
that dense clouds hiding the Sun, the Moon, and 
the Stars, gathered over all the world, bringing 
back almost primordial darkness.* That during 
this long time of ice and darkness, one unchanging 
season of almost endless winter prevailed. At 
last, from some unknown cause due to the Divine 
Worker, warmth revisited the earth, the clouds 
cleared away, revealing, as if a new creation, the 
greater and lesser lights, and " the stars also ; " 
the monotony of the world-wide winter was fol- 

* These clouds and darkness have not-, as far as I am 
aware, any sufficient foundation in fact, but for aught I 
know, they may have occurred. This is as good authority 
for the assertion as belongs to many Scientific theories as 
well as to the greater number of the explanations of the 
account given in Genesis, which have fallen under my ob- 
servation 



EPOCH OF AXIAL CHANGE. 243 

lowed by the pleasing vicissitude of Spring and 
Summer, Autumn and Winter, a joyous pro- 
cession that has ever since brought seed-time and 
harvest. 

The fauna of water animals and fowls, which 
were so appropriate to the close of the reign of 
ice and cold, would harmonize equally well with 
either of the explanations which I have given of 
the work of the fourth day. 



COSMOLOGY 



THE study of the influence of Solar and Lunar 
attraction upon telluric upheavals, leads to a 
held of inquiry by no means limited to the planet 
on which we live. It may seem not germane to 
the subject which thus far has occupied the reader's 
attention, but as I have shown that a successful 
denial of the Mosaic Narrative w T ould annihilate 
the Nebular Hypothesis, and on this conclusion 
have based an argument for the reality of a Reve- 
lation, it cannot be out of place to present here 
evidence which tends to establish the truth of 
that remarkable Theory. 

Leaving out of consideration the usual proof 
derived from observations made with the telescope 
and spectroscope, I propose to confine myself to an 
attempt to show that the present phenomena of the 
Solar System, or others of precisely similar cha- 
racter, are the necessary results of such a condition 
as is implied in the word Nebulous. I shall as- 
sume nothing that is not an admitted truth, or that 
does not find its analogue at the present moment 
in some part of the universe. As such may be 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 245 

reckoned the universality and uniformity of gravi- 
tation and the laws of motion, while the true 
Nebulae now to be seen in various parts of the 
heavens, present the very condition which this 
Theory demands for our own Solar System. The 
upheavals which will be required are similar in 
character, but proportionately larger than those 
of whose existence on the Earth, the larger 
planets, and the Sun, we have such ample 
proof. 

I shall, then, assume that the Solar System at 
some inconceivably remote period, w r as a nebulous 
mass of almost infinite rarity, extending beyond 
the orbit of Neptune, and that it w r as affected by 
the present law of gravitation, and was subject to 
the laws of Motion. 

I shall also assume the existence of upheavals 
in this great mass, and endeavor to show that in 
these assumptions is a key that so readily unlocks 
the difficulties of our System, so readily and easily 
accounts for phenomena so various, that it is 
impossible to resist the belief that in them we 
have the true physical cause of the present ar- 
rangement of the Solar System as well as of the 
smaller systems that centre about some of the 
planets. 

It is evident that the atoms of a homogeneous 
sphere of nebulous matter under the sole influence 
of gravity, would move centreward in radial 
lines, since the lateral attractions would neutralize 



24:6 COSMOLOGY. 

each other, and that, in reference to them, the 
system would be in a state of unstable equili- 
brium. Any disturbance, however small, giving 
preponderance to a part, would result necessarily 
iU a gyratory movement. As matter is powerless 
to originate any change of position, such a dis- 
turbance must have come from without. This 
derangement of equilibrium might result from the 
impact of some body, as the plunging in of a me- 
teor, or the attraction of another system. Any 
explanation, however, only places us one step 
farther back, one nearer to the Source of Being 
and Power, and in the last analysis, reaches the 
Great First Cause. Sooner or later we arrive at 
the only explanation on which the mind can rest, 
" The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the 
fluid mass." * 

In case, however, the mass was not a spheroid, 
or not homogeneous, states as much to be ac- 
counted for as an external impulse, the conditions 
for gyratory movement existed in itself. Any 
one of these causes would eventually result not 
only in a motion of rotation, but what was of 
great importance in the development of the Sys- 

* Can it be that here is one more instance of the deeper, 
more radical meaning of the words of Genesis, striking a 
physical fact ? Certainly the thought of a mighty wind, a 
" wind of God," the impact of the breath of God, the Ttvevjua 
Oeov rushing upon the dark, formless mass, is wonderfully in 
harmony with the needed disturbance, and the resulting 
waves which rose and fell thenceforth through the ages. 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 247 

tem, it would also-produce an undulatory move- 
ment or wave of force, traversing the mass from 
side to side, echoed back as it were, and producing 
surface waves the precursors and causal antecedents 
of all the upheavals siiice. 

From the laws of motion, I postulate the 
increase of angular velocity and centrifugal force, 
as condensation proceeded ; the formation of the 
nebulous mass into an oblate spheroid; and the 
ultimate avulsion of a ring of similar matter, 
which revolved in the plane of the Cosmic equator, 
about the Cosmic centre, in the same direction 
as the parent mass, and which was, if without 
interfering cause, truly circular and of uniform 
section. 

By Kepler's law establishing the relation be- 
tween the times and distances, it is evident, since 
the Radii were very large and the distance be- 
tween the surface of the helioid * and the inner 
surface of the ring was at first infinitesimally 
small and increased very slowly, that their angu- 
lar velocities were for a very long time almost the 
same. 

A POINT THEREFORE ON THE RING OPPOSITE A 
POINT ON THE HELIOID WOULD REMAIN SENSIBLY 
OPPOSITE FOR A PERIOD OF GREAT LENGTH. 

* " Helioid " denotes that part of the great Nebula within 
a ring, or the orbit of a planet. It is the central portion and 
contains in itself the undeveloped planets and the Sun. 
" Planetoid " bears the same relation to a planet. 



248 COSMOLOGY. 

This fact is highly important, since it practi- 
cally avoids all consideration of the rotation of the 
two, save so far as by generating a centrifugal 
force it held their centres at a fixed distance apart 
while leaving entire freedom of motion in other 
directions. In connection with the limited dura- 
tion of the upheavals, it also eliminates that com- 
pensation which is the marrow of La Grange's 
celebrated Theorem in reference to orbital inclina- 
tions. 

These upheavals occurred, most probably, in 
all forms and positions. Obeying the law of gravi- 
tation, they attracted other bodies, precisely as if 
the central . body was not in existence. Accord- 
ing to this law, the influence of a homogeneous* 
sphere on a body exterior to it, is not affected by 
any change in the diameter of either, providing 
the masses and the distance between their centres 
remain constant. In other words, if the Sun re- 
mained a homogeneous sphere, its attraction upon 
Neptune, for instance, would be precisely the same 
as now, although it were so rarefied as to reach 
within a foot of the latter's surface. 

On the other hand, a mass lying upon the sur- 
face of the sphere will exert its influence precisely 
as if the latter was not in existence, and its attrac- 
tion will vary, very nearly, in the inverse ratio of 
the square of the distance of the attracted body 
from the surface of the sphere. Consequently its 
* Or, if homogeneous at equal depths 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 249 

effect upon a given-mass may equal or exceed that 
of the sphere itself. 

Hence it follows, if the distance between their 
centres be constant, that the attraction of the 
helioid for a planet will remain constant forever, 
no matter how far their surfaces may separate, 
while the attraction of a mass lying upon the sur- 
face of the central body, and moving with it, will 
be a variable quantity having its maximum as 
nearly as possible at the moment of avulsion, and 
diminishing as that body contracts. 

Since no internal force can change the absolute 
position of the centre of gravity of a system 
(Principia), it follows that an elevation so caused 
at any point, will always be accompanied by an 
equivalent movement in the opposite direction, 
and on the other side of the centre of gravity. 
This may manifest itself, either in another up- 
heaval on the opposite surface, or it may take the 
form of a more or less general movement of the 
rest of the mass in a direction opposite to the first, 
but to a relatively smaller distance. But in the 
consideration of masses of such inconceivable size, 
the distance from one side of the helioid to the 
other is so great that the effect of the opposite 
upheaval may for the most part be entirely 
neglected. 

In these elementary principles are found the 
conditions necessary for the formation of a system 
with the peculiarities of our own. They contain 
11* 



250 COSMOLOGY. 

also such elements of variation as to account for 
other orders and arrangements such as we inay 
conceive to exist about other Suns, but of which 
we can have no knowledge other than the possi- 
bility of their existence. 

I have spoken of our Cosmos as normally a 
regular body, a real spheroid, if not a sphere, an 
assumption made to avoid complications in the 
reasoning. Although it could not have been as 
irregular as some nebulse of which we have know- 
ledge, or it would have developed into a double or 
triple Sun-System, yet it is inconceivable that it 
was a really regular body. Whatever was its true 
form, it may, however, without error, be consid- 
ered at all times a true sphere with protuberances 
or irregularities of various forms and sizes. These, 
from the nature of an elastic, mobile body, must 
have been ever-varying, and hence would give the 
conditions required, i. e. undulations as it were, 
rising at one time far above the normal surface, 
and then sinking back again to, or even below, 
their former place. 

The following results flow from such a nebu- 
lous body of sufficient size, under the one condi- 
tion of local, temporary * upheavals, and would be 

* Local has reference to the fact that the upheaval, 
although millions of miles, perhaps, in extent, covered but 
a small fraction of the central body. 

Temporary as Cosmology counts time, a trifle of a thou- 
sand years or centuries, some fragment of eternity. 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 251 

equally true of -aHr conceivable one-Sun Systems. 
They may be embodied in seven general proposi- 
tions. 

Prop. 1. There will be an evolution of a 
series of planets.* 

Prop. 2. The orbital motion of the planets 
and the axial revolution of the central body will 
normally be in the same direction. 

Prop. 3. The axial revolutions of all the pla- 
nets will normally be in the same direction as the 
orbital. 

Prop. 4. The planets will have elliptic orbits 
of unequal eccentricity. 

Prop. 5. The planes of these orbits will be 
inclined at various angles. 

Prop. 6. The planes of their equators will be 
inclined to their orbits at any angle from 0° to 
180°. K. B. An inclination exceeding 90° gives 
the retrograde motions of the Satellites of Uranus 
and Neptune. 

Prop. 7. Great differences will be possible 
between the direction of the orbital motion of 
satellites and that of their primaries. 

Although these conditions are actually found 
in our system, yet they might have been deduced 
a priori, by one who had no knowledge of their 

* The masses of the planets and the planetary distances, 
although results of the nebulous condition, do not come 
within the present discussion, being dependent upon princi- 
ples not now under consideration. 



252 COSMOLOGY. 

actual occurrence, as I shall now endeavor to 
show. 

I shall assume, without argument, that a spheri- 
cal gaseous mass, revolving as we have supposed, 
and shrinking in bulk, would generate an oblate 
spheroid, and that then, as the centrifugal force 
became equal to the ^centripetal, a separation, or 
avulsion, of a ring of similar matter would occur 
in the equatorial protuberant belt ; that as this 
belt was truly circular, so would be the ring ; 
and, as our supposed spheroid was homogeneous 
at equal depths, every section of the ring made by 
a plane passing through the cosmic centre, and 
perpendicular to its equator, would be equal to 
every other section similarly formed ; and, as there 
was no cause for change, the ring must continue 
to move in the same direction as the parent mass. 

PROPOSITIONS 1 AND 2. 

Commencing, then, at the exterior of our Sys- 
tem, we will suppose the tirst cosmic ring just left 
behind by the contraction of the helioid, and that, 
not long after, an upheaval occurred on its equa- 
torial portion. 

This upheaval, being exterior to the spheroid, 
would act upon the ring as if the latter was not in 
existence, and, being very near to one side of it, 
would greatly disturb its equilibrium, causing an 
acceleration of the velocity of the portion behind 



NEBULAR J-IYPOTHESIS. 253 

it, and a retardation of that in advance.* This 
would cause, in the ring, an accumulation or 
nucleous, which, once formed, would continue to 
draw to itself the remainder, until all was col- 
lected into one mass. This mass w T ould necessarily 
continue to revolve about the Cosmic centre in the 
same direction as the ring, and hence as the helioid 
itself. This first body, in our system, would be 
the embryo planet which we now call Neptune. 
A repetition of this process would produce planet 
after planet, until the helioid had shrunk to a 
body too small, or too solid, to generate any 
more, and, for lack of reason to the contrary, each 
w T ould revolve in the same direction as the central 
mass. Q. E. D. 

Here I may remark that two or more such up- 
heavals might occur in the time of one ring, at a 
great distance apart, and that this would result in 
the formation of two or more planets, at equal dis- 
tances from the centre, a condition of which some 
of the Asteroids furnish an illustration. The rela- 
tive size of such twin planets would depend upon 
the distance apart of the upheavals, as well as the 
length of time one appeared before the other. 

PROPOSITION 3. 

From this same equatorial upheaval other im- 
portant results flow. 

* Fig. 4 illustrates this; q. v. 



254 



COSMOLOGY. 

Figure 4. 




A is the axis. M the upheaved mass. The shorter arrows 
denote decreased velocity ; the longer ones, increased velocity. 
N is the nucleus of a planet. 

Fig. 4 represents an equatorial section of the 
Cosmos, although a very distorted one. We here 
have the conditions just described. Not only 
would the atoms ou one side approach the nucleus 
N with an increased velocity, but this would gene- 
rate an increase of centrifugal force, causing them 
to recede somewhat from the Cosmic centre, while 
the atoms in advance would, for the opposite rea- 
son, have less centrifugal force, and be drawn 
nearer the centre. Omitting all consideration of 
the absolute motion, and looking only at the rela- 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 255 

tive, there will be^Hm. effect, two streams of nebu- 
lous matter moving in opposite directions towards 
the nucleal point, the medial line of the one fall- 
ing nearer the centre of the system than that of 
the other, thus generating an axial revolution in 
the same direction as the orbital. As precisely 
the same action may be supposed to occur in case 
of all the planets, the same result must follow, 
thus establishing the truth of the third Propo- 
sition. 

PROPOSITION 4. 

The body opposite M as yet possesses none of 
the planetary characteristics, save axial and orbital 
movements, the latter in a path truly circular — 
so far, at least, as any cause to the contrary has 
been shown. This brings us to the fourth Propo- 
sition. 

By the laws of motion, the angular velocity of 
the helioid exceeded somewhat (not much at first) 
that of the ring, or its subsequent planet. Conse- 
quently, the mass M kept in advance of the embryo 
planet, and continued to accelerate the latter' s rate 
of motion, its influence at the same time gradually 
diminishing until the distance between them be- 
came 180°, when its influence became zero, and 
then negative for the remaining 180°. A pre- 
cisely similar effect would have been produced 
had the upheaval continued for a part of a revo- 
lution, or had it been followed at a sufficient 
interval by one behind the planet. The effect of 



256 COSMOLOGY. 

such acceleration and retardation was necessarily 
that variation of velocity that can only exist in an 
elliptic orbit.* ' 

Hence, in the disturbing force of the attraction 
of such an upheaval, we find an influence that 
would necessarily generate elliptic orbits, and as 
the upheavals could scarcely be equal in size, posi- 
tion, or duration, either actually or relatively, there 
would arise a great variety hi the eccentricities 
of these orbits. Therefore, on a priori grounds, 
we should expect the present variety in the forms 
of the orbits of our System, in harmony with the 
Proposition. 

As the same result might flow from a succes- 
sion of smaller upheavals, and as it is not reasona- 
ble to suppose any regular order in them, we may 
conclude that some aided the movement, while 
others retarded it, and hence follows the curious 
result that the mean eccentricity of the same 
planet's orbit may have been, at some of these 
early times, greater, and at others, less, than at 
present. 

PROPOSITION 5. 

For the sake of simplicity, I have supposed 
the orbital and axial motions, as well as the ellipti- 
cities of the orbits, attained while they were yet 

* I do not speak of a parabola or hyperbola, for these 
forces could not generate such a curve, since no body can, 
by its own attraction alone, impart to another a force suffi- 
cient to send it beyond its reach. 



NEBULAE HYPOTHESIS. 257 

in the plane of therg-reat equator. Returning, as 
before, to the exterior planet just after its segre- 
gation and collection into a spheroid, we may 
imagine another upheaval occurring on the helioid, 
which, as jet, nearly filled the space within the 
planet's orbit, at some considerable distance from 
the equator, as 40° or 50°, but, if I may use such 
an expression, in the plane of the same meridian 
as the planet. It is evident that the attraction of 
this mass will neither increase nor diminish the 
planet's orbital motion, and so far will be without 
effect. It will, however, to a degree depending 
upon its mass, distance, and duration, and upon 
the mass of the planet, lift the latter above its 
normal position. But as the centre of gravity of 
a system of bodies cannot be made to change its 
place by the action of forces in the system, and as 
this centre of gravity is the point about which the 
planet revolves, the orbit will of necessity become 
inclined. 

If the upheaval had been permanent, it would 
eventually counterbalance its own influence, leav- 
ing the mean inclination of the orbiUimaffected, 
but its temporary character, so to speak of cosmic 
durations, paradoxical as it may appear, gives per- 
manency to its effects. This, for the very simple 
reason that- before the time and position come 
around for it to act in an opposite sense, or to lift 
the other end of the orbit, it will have sunk to the 
general level. 



258 COSMOLOGY. 

As it is scarcely possible that the subsequent 
upheavals, in reference to the planets interior to 
Neptune, were all of the same size, duration, dis- 
tance and angular direction, we are certain, a 
priori, of a corresponding variety in their orbital 
inclinations. 

Hence, given a Nebulous mass and local up- 
heavals above or below the equator, the orbital 
inclinations follow of necessity, with all their 
variety of degree, and thus establish the truthful- 
ness of the fifth Proposition. 

THE AXIAL INCLINATION. 

Although I have not yet exhausted the effects 
produced by an upheaval of a portion of the cen- 
tral body, it is now necessary to consider the be- 
havior of the inchoate planet. 

As has already been said, an axial rotation of 
the inchoate planet, in the normal direction, was 
generated, and I now add that this rotation was 
made yet more rapid by the condensation of the 
matter forming the nebuloid. 

Attenrjjgj have been made to give the equation 
of axial revolution, but so many elements which 
must always remain indeterminate, enter into the 
calculation, that the true equation* appears impos- 
sible to be obtained. We cannot tell how much of 

* The true equation should give the time of rotation at 
any period of the planet's existence, either when it possessed 
the intense heat of some former epoch, or when it shall 
have cooled to the temperature of surrounding space. 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 259 

the primeval force^vvas radiated as heat into space, 
or disappeared as chemical force, or in other ways. 
For a like reason, it probably will always be 
impossible to find the formulae representing the 
inclinations and eccentricities in terms of those 
movements from which they have been derived, 
precisely as it is impossible to give the formula 
for the shape of a pebble on the sea shore. We 
can show how its form was attained by the action 
of the w r aves dashing it against its fellows, and 
that such action would necessarily result in a 
greater or less approach to the form of a sphere. 
We can also, knowing its lithic character, and the 
direction of the planes of cleavage, determine, a 
priori, the position of its three axes, but there we 
must stop. The infinite number of modes of ap- 
plying the blows, the varying degree of hardness 
in the pebble itself, or in those about it, the 
solvent power of the water, etc., introduce such a 
flood of indeterminate quantities, that the finite 
mind is baffled. The Cosmic mass, the rings and 
the planets, were subject to an infinite variety of 
influences, from the ever-varying shape, size, posi- 
tion, and duration of these upheaved masses. We 
can qualitatively show their results, but can never 
throw their influences into the form of equations. 

PROPOSITION 6. 

The normal position of the axis of the plane- 
tary nebuloid was perpendicular to its orbit, and, 



260 COSMOLOGY. 

if it had at that time the form of a true sphere, no 
effect upon the direction of its axis conld have 
been produced, either by the central sphere itself, 
or by any upheaval upon its own surface. What- 
ever change of position the planet or its orbit 
might undergo, the axis of the former would re- 
main parallel to itself. 

I now propose to consider the form of the 
nascent planet. 




Figure 5. 

Fig. 5 represents a portion of the ring gather- 
ing about a planetoid, the v larger arrow, as in 
Fig. 4, denoting the portion of the ring whose 
speed has been increased, and the smaller, that 
which moves more slowly. The effect of such a 
condition was to produce a lateral pressure upon 
the mass as it revolved on its axis, resulting in its 
elongation in the direction of its poles, exactly as 
a bar of hot iron rotating on its longer axis while 
receiving the blows of a hammer, is elongated. 
This prolateness must have continued during the 
aggregation of the planetoid, and afterwards, until 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 261 

the latter's own— centrifugal force caused it to 
change to an oblate spheroid. 

From this elongation, highly important results 
followed, viz. the inclinations of the axes of the 
members of our System. 




Figure 6. 

Let Fig. 6 represent the Solar System during 
the aggregation of Neptune, while the latter was 
yet prolate, and while its axis was yet perpendicu- 
lar to the Cosmic equator. 

It is evident that while the helioid remains a 
true spheroid, its attraction can produce no effect 
upon the position of the planet's axis. But if a 
mass, M, be upheaved, as in the cut, the attraction 
of M on the nearest hemisphere will cause the 



262 COSMOLOGY. 

body to incline towards it, and to assume a posi- 
tion rudely shown by the dotted line. 

It is furthermore evident that as soon as one 
hemisphere begins to approach the helioid, it will, 
from its nearness, be more strongl} 7 attracted than 
the other, and consequently that the great central 
body will aid and continue the effect of M. Conse- 
quently, the axis will lean more and more from 
the perpendicular towards the plane of its orbit, 
which it will reach in due time, unless prevented 
by some other force, which might, under favora- 
ble circumstances, come from an upheaval below 
the helioid's equator, but more frequently from 
the stability engendered by the development of a 
sufficient oblateness in the planet. It is also evi- 
dent that these counteracting influences might 
come sooner in case of one planet than in another, 
giving rise to a corresponding variety of effects. 
Another source of variation is found in the fact 
that a large upheaval on the central body would 
produce a greater inclination of the axis of the 
planet than a smaller one, and again, that the ef- 
fect upon a large planet, other things being equal, 
would be less than upon a small one. Hence, we 
should expect the axis of Jupiter to be less inclined 
than those of the other planets. Yet, since the 
the size, distance, and angular position, as well as 
duration of those upheavals, were in the highest 
degree variable, it is as certain as the doctrine of 
Chances can make it that there would be de- 



NEBULAE HYPOTHESIS. 263 

veloped in any system, under such influences as 
these, all the variety of axial or equatorial inclina- 
tion that now exists ; thus establishing the truth 
of the sixth Proposition.* 

It is easy enough to see, from this, how readily 
it would happen that Jupiter's axis should be 
almost perpendicular, while that of Venus is so 
very much inclined, and that this is easily con- 
sistent with their different degrees of orbital 
eccentricity. 

THE RETROGRADE MOTIONS OF THE SATELLITES 
OF URANUS AND NEPTUNE. 

The Retrograde Motions of the Satellites of 
Uranus and Neptune have long been the bete noir 
of astronomers, obstinately refusing to take a place 
in any theory. Yet I venture to affirm that no 
planetary phenomenon is more easily explained 
than these, upon the principles which are under 
consideration. 

Either of these planets, when passing from the 
state of being a ring, must, as already shown, 
have been at first a prolate spheroid. Its then 
condition, and the effect of a cosmic upheaval, are 
well indicated in Fig. 6. If this upheaval had 
come and gone, and the corresponding obliquity 

* The reader will constantly bear in mind the almost 
equal angular motion of the planet, and the upheaval affect- 
ing it, an equality, as I have said, which arises from the 
small difference in the length of their immense radii. This 
is a condition of the highest importance. 



264 COSMOLOGY. 

of its axis had occurred, before the embryo planet 
had received all the ring-matter, it would retain 
its prolateness, and be drawn, by the attraction of 
the great central body, into the plane of its orbit. 
We need only suppose that another undulation 
then occurred below the equator. Such a mass 
would draw the nearest pole still further from its 
normal position. If this movement carried the 
pole of Uranus 10° below the plane of its orbit, 
and that of Neptune 60° (?), there would be the 
present reversed position of these planets. To 
complete the present arrangement we need only 
suppose, the aggregation of ring-matter having 
been completed, the centrifugal force no longer 
repressed by lateral pressure, the nebulous mass 
allowed to obey it freely, together with an interval 
of comparative Cosmic quiescence, and there will 
be given all the needed conditions for the devel- 
opment of their systems of satellites, with their 
retrograde motions, a result that further confirms 
the truth of the sixth Proposition. 

It is hardly necessary to remark that the suc- 
cession of upheavals would not, in reality, be so 
distinct as I have indicated. One upheaval, pro- 
perly placed, might produce nearly all these ef- 
fects at once. It will be easy for the reader to 
discover how this could be. 

PROPOSITION 7. 
The Rings, and nearly all the Satellites, re- 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 265 

volve around the primaries almost in the planes 
of their equators. But our own Moon, and Sa- 
turn's outermost, cross these planes at compara- 
tively large angles, the one making an angle of 
about 18°, and the other of nearly 14°. 

Although these anomalies have attracted so 
much less attention than the retrograde motions 
of the Satellites of Uranus and Neptune, they 
appear equally extraordinary. It certainly is re- 
markable that the rings of Saturn, and the large 
number of seven Satellites, scarcely vary from one 
plane, while the eighth abruptly takes a course of 
its own. 

Our Theory does not fail here, but shows even 
this to be a development of law, and one of the 
echoes of that first impulse on the inert Cosmic 
mass. 

We will suppose the Saturnian planetoid in- 
clined something more than 28°, in the manner 
already shown, Prop. 6, and as illustrated by Fig. 
6 ; that, while in this position, the planetoid, 
by virtue of its axial rotation, became oblate, 
and at length separated from its equatorial belt, 
which, as shown in case of the larger bodies, was 
gathered into a sphere, the embryo moon. This 
must have revolved, at first, in the equatorial 
plane of the future planet, the system at that time 
being represented rudely by the accompanying 
diagram. 

12 



266 COSMOLOGY. 




FlGUKE 7. 

AA is the plane of the equator of the helioid, PP being 
its axis. S is the future planet Saturn, at that time extend- 
ing far beyond the present orbit of its seventh Satellite. 
MM', the plane of the planetoid's equator, and also of the 
orbit of the oldest Satellite. 

Suppose an upheaval to occur at O, on the 
larger body. It is evident, first, that the helioid 
itself, according to La Grange's Theorem, will not 
affect the mean inclination of MM'. Second, that 
the upheaved mass O will draw M * nearer to 
AA, but when the Satellite has passed around to M', 
i. e. after a semi-revolution, it will be drawn away 

* It must be borne in mind that La Grange's Theorem 
owes its existence to the invariable character of the attrac- 
tive influences affecting the mass, but has no applicability 
to forces of a temporary nature. If O, Fig. 7, had been sim- 
ply a belt, or even a permanent upheaval, eventually its 
influence on the position of M would be counterbalanced, 
and the mean inclination of the latter would remain un- 
changed. But the brief duration of renders compensation 
impossible. 



NEBULAE HYPOTHESIS. 267 

from AA. But as^the distance from O to M is 
very much less than from O to M', the effect at M 
will be much greater, and will result in drawing 
the Satellite's orbit nearer to that of the planet. 

Since the helioid at this epoch extended nearly 
to the line of equal attraction between the planet 
and itself, their rate of angular motion could 
have differed very little, and consequently the 
mass O remained near enough to the planet to 
exert an influence on the Satellite for a long time, 
indeed, during many hundred of its revolutions. 
How long a period would be required to produce 
the required effect, would depend upon the size 
and distance of O, and as these are both unknown, 
any quantitative answer is impossible. From the 
great size of Saturn's orbit, the influence of such 
an upheaval would not be very great in three- 
fourths of its Synodic revolution,* leaving one- 
fourth only as effective, or a period of about 
300 years, equal to 1350 sideral revolutions of the 
Satellite, and ample time for a moderate upheaval 
to raise its orbit 14° from the planet's equator, 
as will be seen when we recollect that the attrac- 
tion of the planet is sufficient to make it describe 
a similar arc in a little more than one forty-thou- 
sandth part of the same time. If, by the time 
the Satellite's orbit had been thus bent 14° from 

* A Synodic revolution here would mean the time needed 
for the mass O, and the two centres S and A to come again 
into a right line. I assume O to be at the point where the 
attraction is equal between S and A. 



268 COSMOLOGY. 

its normal position, the upheaval had subsided, it 
would ever remain at that angle, since it would 
then be subject to La Grange's Theorem, and free 
from all interference. 

In the meantime, what has been the effect 
upon the oblate planetoid ? Undoubtedly, the 
protuberant equatorial belt was affected in pre- 
cisely the same manner, but in an infinitely less 
degree. For, the diameter of the Satellite's orbit 
being so much greater than that of the planetoid, 
the difference in the lifting power of the upheaval 
would be much less in case of the latter, and be- 
sides this, it must be remembered that the Satel- 
lite is a mere bagatelle compared with the immense 
size of its primary. 

If, how, the helioid continued to contract, and 
no more undulations (or upheavals) occurred upon 
it large enough, or near enough, to disturb the 
planet in its process of cooling and shrinking, 
there would be the conditions needed for the quiet 
evolution of Saturn's entire System. 

In that case, the other members of the Saturn- 
ian family would be duly formed, and, unless 
disturbed by some similar action in the planetoid, 
would all be produced revolving around the 
parent mass in the plane of its equator. But 
such disturbance would be impossible, since no 
such great upheavals could occur as upon the 
helioid, nor could those that did occur produce 
relatively equal effects, because the radii of the 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 269 

Saturnian System being so much shorter, there 
could not be that approximate equality in the time 
of revolution that was needed to permit an up- 
heaval to produce its full effect. For, if it con- 
tinued too long, it would, as I have shown, act in 
a contrary sense, the permanency of the work 
being dependent upon the temporariness of the 
upheaval. Hence, although there may have been 
upheavals upon the planetoid, their results were 
small, as is shown by the smallness of the inclina- 
tion of the orbits of the Satellites and Rings, to the 
planet's equator. 

The inclination of the Moon's orbit to the 
equator of the Earth is the other of these anoma- 
lies. It has already been so far discussed as to 
show that upheavals upon the solidified earth 
could not have produced it ; nor even when nebu- 
lous, could they have affected it much. 

It may justly be asked, if upheavals upon the 
great central body were capable of elevating or 
depressing the planetary orbits, why those upon 
the planets should not also affect the orbits of 
their Satellites ? 

There are two reasons that occur to me why 
the effects of the planetary upheavals, although 
the same in kind should be less in degree. 

First, the lower temperature of these smaller 
systems would probably give less energy to the 
upheaving power, and therefore, the undulations 
would be less in proportion. The second, and the 



270 COSMOLOGY. 

more important reason, is that based upon the 
greater differences between the angular velocities 
of the Satellites and their primaries. On this ac- 
count, the element of compensation which was 
eliminated from the primaries, as has been shown, 
would here reappear. For, suppose, in case of the 
Earth, an upheaval occurred, e. g. in lat. 45°, on 
the line connecting the Moon's and the Earth's 
centre, and that the Earth at that time extended 
to the point of equal attraction between the two, 
and that it revolved as slowly as a Satellite would 
at that distance, which would be slower than its 
actual speed, yet, even in that case, the upheaval 
would gain so rapidly as soon to be placed in a 
similar position upon the opposite side, and there 
undo its previous work. Still, the upheaval would 
at some time disappear, and as that could hardly 
happen just at the point to counterbalance all its 
effect, some moderate residuum of change would 
be left, a condition which finds its counterpart in 
the present small inclinations of the orbits of 
nearly all the Satellites. 

It remains to consider the effect of an equa- 
torial upheaval occurring on the surface of the 
helioid, precisely as in the case of Saturn. Was 
the lunar-telluric mass inclined 23|° and more, and 
then was the moon brought back to 5° ? If such 
a thing was done in case of one of Saturn's moons, 
could it be done in case of our Earth's ? I think 
not, for there are certain important points of dif- 
ference. 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 271 

The primary-ring had been gathered into the 
lunar-telluric spheroid, a secondary ring cast off, 
and that gathered also into a spheroidal body, a 
great length of time, therefore, must have elapsed 
since the avulsion of the first, which would give 
the helioid time to condense to a considerable 
degree, and allow a space between its surface and 
the Moon of, say half the distance allowed for 
the same process in case of Saturn, or 7,000,000 
miles. By Kepler's law, the time of rotation of 
a body at this surface will be such that by no pos- 
sibility could it be exposed to the action of such 
an upheaval for much more than two one-hun- 
dredths as long as Saturn, a time so greatly -shorter 
that it seems absurd to compare the results. More- 
over, the diameter of the Moon's orbit is so much 
less than that of the orbit of Saturn's eighth Satel- 
lite, that there would be far less inequality in the 
counteracting movements at M and M'. Hence, I 
cannot think the present separation of 18|° be- 
tween the plane of the equator and the orbit of our 
moon, is due to this cause. 

But, even admitting the possibility of the 
present difference between the inclination of the 
Moon's orbit and the Earth being caused by such 
an upheaval,, the fact remains, as already shown, 
that it might have been caused otherwise. It 
then would be a question of evidence, did this 
difference occur before our globe had ceased to be 
a nebulous mass ? for when it had become solid, 



272 COSMOLOGY. 

the Sun had shrunk too far away for upheavals on 
its surface to produce any effect. The evidence is 
clearly negative, for the records of life show 
plainly that, in the earlier Geologic Epochs, the 
axis must have been nearly perpendicular. The 
only objection to this, as far as I know, is the 
enormous circumpolar upheaval needed, but this 
objection applies with at least equal force to a 
Solar upheaval, indeed, the latter would need to 
be the greater, and it is no more easy for me to 
think of an equatorial protuberance (not belt) on 
the Sun, of many hundred millions of cubic 
miles, than of the needed polar movement upon 
the earth. 

Both are inexplicable at present. Upheavals 
have occurred, and are now occurring, in Sun and 
planet. It is simply a question as to the degree 
of a movement, of which we know neither the 
cause nor the limit. 

Hence, we are led to identically the same con- 
clusion as that arrived at in the previous chapter, 
viz. that the present difference between the incli- 
nation of the earth's axis, and that of the Moon's 
orbit, is not in any material degree due to any 
movement of that orbit. And that consequently 
there must have been a movement of the earth 
itself, changing its axial inclination from about 
5° 9' to 23^°, and that this occurred since the 
separation of the Moon from the earth, and be- 
tween that great event and the beginning of his- 
torical records. 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 273 

The precise Epoch has already been considered. 

The inclination of the Solar axis is the resi- 
duum or "resultant of all these movements, or 
rather of their reactions. 

These principles indicate clearly the possibility 
of a System presenting a far greater variety of 
movements and inclinations than is found in our 
own. Some planets might revolve in a direction 
opposite to that of their Satellites. 

Something approaching this is now seen in 
case of our earth and her moon. The former re- 
volves from due West to due East, while the 
other moves from W. 18J° S., to E. 18±° IN". 

The inclinations of the axes of the Satellites 
can be accounted for upon the same principles. 
As far as known they are very small, as was to 
have been expected. This arises not so much 
from the smallness of their primaries as from the 
shortness of their orbital radii, causing a greater 
difference between their times of orbital revolu 
tion, and those of their primaries, hence affording 
less opportunity for upheavals to produce their 
effect. 

While the nearness of the Satellites produces 
this negative result, it is curious to note that the 
equality of lunar orbital and axial revolution 
flows from the same cause. 

This equality certainly exists in case of our 
own Satellite, and observation seems to render it 
highly probable in case of all the others. 
12* 



274: COSMOLOGY. 

This we shall consider in another chapter. 

It remains only to complement this discussion 
by showing that an upheaval upon the surface of 
the Sun at as late a period as the appearance of 
organic life, could produce no sensible effect upon 
the position of the earth, or any other planet. 
That this is true, is evident, because the earth and 
Sun had then shrunk to their present dimen- 
sions, and consequently the upheaved mass was so 
much more distant than at the time immediately 
following the segregation of the earth ; and, sec- 
ondly, a mass placed even at the pole of the Sun* 
would be separated from the centre by so small an 
angle as practically to make its effect the same as 
if placed there. Hence, no upheaval on the sur- 
face of the Sun at so late a period, could produce 
any effect differing materially from that arising 
from the direct action of that body. 



CHAPTEK II. 



THE EOTATION OF THE MOON. 

THE curious coincidence between the time of 
lunar axial, and orbital revolution, which ex- 
tends to some, and perhaps all, the other Satel- 
lites, is explicable as the result of the nebulous 
condition of our System, and the nearness of these 
bodies to their primaries.* 

The Moon was once a gaseous mass. It passed 
by insensible degrees from that condition to a 
fluid, and then, through ever increasing degrees 
of viscidity, to a solid. 

In its earlier stages of development it revolved 
on its axis at a rate which was a function of its 
orbital motion, and of its condensation. As the 
latter was very great, its effect could not have 
been null, therefore the axial motion generated by 
the two could not have produced an angular 
velocity as small as the orbital ; hence, originally, 
the Moon revolved on its axis with a velocity 
greater than at present. 

There has, then, been some retarding cause, 

* The once liquid condition of the Moon was assumed, 
I think first by Newton. 



276 THE ROTATION OF THE MOON. 

for no change occurs in matter spontaneously. It 
must have been in some way intimately associated 
with the orbital motion, since it reduced the axial 
to it, and then ceased to operate, or at least to 
make itself manifest. 

The Moon, while in a fluid condition, was af- 
fected by tides, surpassing those now on the earth, 
since the latter's mass is ninety times greater ; and 
the lunar ocean's depth extended to its centre. 
Partly by the friction of the lunar wave, and infi- 
nitely more from its viscidity, an ever-increasing 
resistance to the Moon's axial motion was gene- 
rated. At the same time that these forces so 
much exceeded any present tidal influence on the 
earth, the smallness of the Moon rendered it less 
able to continue the contest, her momentum, with 
the same velocity as the earth, being ninety times 
less, and ever decreasing as its motion grew 
smaller. 

Moreover, as the time of an axial revolution 
grew less, the telluric attraction had more ample 
time to communicate its full effect to the lunar 
mass, hence the lunar wave attained its maximum 
height, and its full retarding power. 

There was thus generated a force ample to stop 
the Moon's axial motion in a brief time, as Cos- 
mology counts time. 

Evidently, the retardation could proceed no 
farther than to keep the summit of the tidal wave 
directly under the earth, as viewed from the 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 277 

moon, since in that position there was no tendency 
to move, and hence, no resistance either from 
friction or viscidity. 

A like influence was exerted on the earth by 
the moon. Owing to the former's greater mass, 
the effect was relatively small, but it could not 
have been null. 

The Sun, which by that time had shrunk to 
somewhere near its present dimensions, also tended 
to produce a retardation of axial motion, but 
owing to its greater distance, its influence was 
much less than that of the earth. 

The present prolongation of the lunar diame- 
ter in the direction of the earth, is the residuum 
of that ancient tidal wave, or rather it is that wave 
solidified, a belief that finds confirmation in the 
general direction of the ridges which mark its 
surface. An inspection of a lunar map shows 
hundreds of mountainous ridges, by far the ma- 
jority of which run north and south, that is, 
transversely, or in the resisting line, to such a force 
as we have been considering. The circular moun- 
tain ridges seem to have been an after formation. 
Omitting these as not to be counted either way, 
it will be found on a careful examination, that 
where there is one ridge running east and west, 
there are one hundred running north and south. 

The rough, volcanic appearance of the whole 
disk is exceedingly suggestive of the last stages 
of transition from a liquid to a solid condition, the 



278 THE ROTATION OF THE MOON. 

gradual formation of a somewhat thin crust, the 
crumpling and solidification of the strata into a 
tolerably quiescent state, followed by ejections of 
the internal lava, or the sinking of large tracts as 
the centre cooled. 

At the present time, the tidal wave is retard- 
ing the earth's diurnal motion, and it has been 
said that either the earth is revolving more slowly 
from year to year, or else that the moon is accele- 
rating its velocity. Both suppositions are true, 
and both are due to the same cause. The same 
influence which makes the tide a drag upon the 
earth's motion, by the law of reaction, necessarily 
causes the wave to pull the moon forward in its 
orbit. The one effect cannot exist without the 
other. 

A natural and correct inference is that, in 
its primal state, while like Jupiter and Saturn, 
in a yet fluid condition, the earth revolved on its 
axis more rapidly than now, perhaps as rapidly as 
those planets. Similar changes are now going on 
in all the planets with satellites, and conse- 
quently their length of day is increasing, and may 
eventually become equal to that of the earth, a 
conclusion which renders more certain the impos- 
sibility of establishing the diurnal equation of 
those planets. 

Another and curious inference is this, viz. 
the radii of the lunar orbits are increasing. For, 
each planet accelerates the orbital movement of its 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 279 

moons, hence ^increasing the centrifugal force, 
and of course pushing them, so to speak, farther 
away. 

In the principles which have been discussed, 
I think we have reasons why the immense exte- 
rior planets rotate more rapidly than the smaller 
and interior ones. (1) The larger interplanetary 
distances gave greater " falling room,'' hence, 
greater velocity to the gathering atoms, and there- 
fore more motion was generated. (2) Their Solar 
tidal waves, in the molten masses, owing to their 
immensely greater distance from the centre of the 
System, produced less effect, while their lunar 
tidal waves also, owing to the relatively less 
masses, and greater distances of their Satellites, 
had less influence, while (3) their own larger 
masses gave them greater power of overcoming 
resistance. 

Mars seems to disprove this explanation. Not 
only was its " tailing room" greater than that of 
the atoms which formed the Earth, thus generating 
a greater axial velocity, but it had no satellite to 
retard it, and its solar tidal wave produced but a 
slight effect. Hence its residual velocity ought to 
exceed that of the Earth. But, in fact, it is less. 
Since it revolves on its axis in a period 41' 19'' 
longer than one of our days. 

The Theory, however, is sufficient for this ap- 
parent anomaly. We may, as shown on page 253, 
conceive of a Cosmic ring aggregated into two 



280 THE ROTATION OF THE MOON. 

spheroids in one orbit and rotating in the same 
direction. Unless they were exactly 180° apart, a 
condition scarcely possible, they would by mutual 
attraction finally come into collision. This would 
be attended by a loss of rotatory motion to an ex- 
tent depending upon their relative masses. If one 
was immensely larger than the other the resulting 
loss would be but small; if there was some approach 
to equality, the loss would be relatively greater. 

Thus it is easy to see how a system formed from 
a nebulous mass, might contain one or more planets 
whose axial motion, being the resultant of such col- 
lisions, might be less than it normally should be. 

CONCLUSION. 

From a careful consideration of all the facts, I 
think we may justly conclude, indeed I may say, 
are forced to conclude, that if a nebulous mass, 
such as we have supposed, was endowed in its 
atoms with the power of mutual gravitation, and 
the unstable equilibrium ensuing disturbed by 
some exterior force, there would of necessity be 
generated, in due time, a number of planets of 
varying sizes, all revolving in one direction about 
a common centre, in orbits of varying eccentrici- 
ties and inclinations. That each of these bodies, 
and the central body, would revolve on its axis, 
normally, in the same direction. That the axis of 
each would be more or less inclined at any angle 



NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 281 

from 0° to ISOVaud that, in case the inclination 
was more than 90°, the diurnal motion would be 
retrograde. That if any of these planets, while 
in the nebulous condition, were sufficiently large, 
they would also form systems revolving about 
them, in orbits of greater or less ellipticity, and 
more or less inclined to the plane of the primary's 
equator. 

Hence, bearing also in mind the evidence of 
the Spectroscope, it seems impossible to avoid the 
conclusion that such was once the condition of our 
own System, and that its present arrangements 
are the legitimate results of its having once been 
a nebulous mass, modified and wrought upon by a 
force of upheaval which has manifested itself from 
the beginning of the Solar Universe. 

This plastic force is Heat, itself the effect of 
the primal force which drew atom to atom. 

Here Science, and even Imagination, must 
stop, and, unable themselves to go farther, point 
as guide-boards to an infinite, intelligent Will, the 
First Cause, the Origin of all force, and of all 
motion. Of Him it was written, some three 
thousand years ago, "He maketh his ministers a 
flame of fire," His servants, His laborers to build 
up a Universe. 

Of that elemental chaos, while yet without 
form, and void and dark, we read, " The Spirit 
of God moved upon the face of the waters," the 



282 THE ROTATION OF THE MOON. 

only term which the limited power of the Hebrew 
could apply to the mobile mass. 

Thus, by a circuitous route, we are back to 
that living miracle, the Mosaic Account of Crea- 
tion. 

Note. — Substantially the same explanation of the curi- 
ous coincidence between the time of lunar axial and orbital 
revolution is to be found on pages 4lt> and 417 of Laplace's 
Systeme du Monde, 5th edition. 

Jf any reader cares to look into the matter, I think he will 
find enough difference to convince him that my article was 
written without any knowledge of the other. In fact it had 
been previously stereotyped. 



CHAPTER III. 

SOME THOUGHTS IN REFERENCE TO THE ASTEROIDS 
AND SATURN'S RINGS. 

THREE theories have long been before the 
world to account for this curious group. 
Each assumes that they are fragments of a larger 
planet, and each differs from the others in the 
cause assigned for such a catastrophe. One attri- 
butes the disruption to centrifugal force, another, 
to the explosion of confined gases, and yet another, 
to collision with some foreign body. 

The first supposition implies that gravitation 
can generate a force sufficient, not only to over- 
come itself, and the cohesion of the mass, but to 
fling the fragments millions of miles apart. 

The second also implies that a centripetal 
force can generate heat enough to overcome the 
generating force and the cohesion of the mass, 
and fling the fragments so far away. 

Either is untenable, since no force can gene- 
rate a force greater than itself. 

There remains then, the third supposition, viz. 
a collision with some foreign body. 

This is purely conjectural, a " deus ex machina " 
to help out of a difficulty. Nor does it aid much, 



284 COSMOLOGY. 

for if a planet had been struck by some solid body 
with force enough to scatter the fragments over a 
zone 24:0,000,000 miles in width, the blow would 
have converted both into vapor, and the two, held 
in the bonds of mutual attraction, would have 
formed again a nebula. If the blow had been 
struck in front, so much of the planet's velocity 
would have been destroyed that, if it escaped fall- 
ing into the Sun, it would have revolved in an 
orbit of amazing eccentricity, while in fact the 
average eccentricity of the group is less than that of 
Mercury. If struck in the rear, its velocity would 
have been so accelerated as to send it off into 
space, in a cometal orbit. In whatever way we 
suppose the blow struck, the effects are wanting. 

Another theory of more recent origin assumes 
that this group is composed of bodies which came 
into the solar system from external space, pre- 
cisely as do meteors at the present day. 

To this several objections present themselves 
which seem fatal. 

First, according to the doctrine of chances, it 
is inconceivable that 150 bodies (or whatever may 
be the number) should have flown nearly in one 
plane into our system, and that of all the myriad of 
possible positions and directions they should have 
taken that in close harmony with the Nebular 
Hypothesis. Second, if these bodies, or any one 
of them, came from somewhere outside their pres- 
ent orbits, they must in that earlier epoch have 



THE ASTEROIDS. 285 

been within theTsphere of the Sun's dominance, 
or beyond it. In the former case, they would to- 
day continue to revolve in an orbit passing through 
that " somewhere," and hence possessing an eccen- 
tricity immensely greater than they now do, unless 
some other attraction has interfered and reduced 
the ellipticity to its present dimensions. 

This interference could come only from the 
exterior planets, or from some contemporaneous 
upheavals in the helioid, such as have been under 
consideration. 

As to the effect of a planet, it is utterly incon- 
ceivable that even Jupiter, the largest, could have 
so equally affected a group 125,000,000 miles wide, 
containing so large a number of bodies differing all 
possible degrees in their angular position, that no 
one of their orbits is much more eccentric than is 
Mercury's, while most of them are less so. As to 
the effect of an upheaval, the same objections apply. 

If, however, the Asteroids came from the 
depths of space beyond the dominance of the 
sun's attractive power, the difficulties of such a 
theory become, if possible, even greater. For not 
only would there be needed an impelling force to 
push them within the power of the Sun, but any 
such impulse would send them towards our system 
with a velocity and consequent momentum which 
would carry them off again into space in a para- 
bolic orbit, never to return. 

The facte, then, of the solar system, are such 



286 COSMOLOGY. 

that this theory cannot be true. "What remains ? 
The ordinary laws and movements. These, ap- 
plied in accordance with the idea that the whole 
Cosmos was generated from a nebulous mass, will, 
I think, give a not unreasonable explanation of the 
peculiarities of this group. First, then, as far as 
yet known there is no reason in the nature of 
things why, as the equatorial portions of the 
central nebula approached that condition of equi- 
librium in w T hich the centrifugal force was equal 
to the centripetal, and a belt of matter was about 
to be segregated, this effect should take place in a 
belt of 100,000,000 miles wide, rather 10,000,000 
or 1,000,000, unless it was determined by the 
greater or less viscidity (so to speak) of the central 
mass. For, although the cosmic forces must be 
considered as in themselves .uniform, yet, accord- 
ing to all experience and observation, their mani- 
festations vary in degree, as sometimes the surface 
of the Sun seems almost perfectly quiet, while at 
others it is upheaved in a commotion that tran- 
scends the flight of imagination. Less viscidity 
then, aided, perhaps, by the action of the greater 
planets, may, without any forcing of theory, have 
caused the avulsion of narrow belts, say 1,000,000 
miles in width, each finally gathering itself into a 
planetary spheroid. This condition may have 
continued until belt after belt was left behind in a 
zone of an average width of 125,000,000 miles. 
There may have been as many rings as asteroids, 



satukn's kings. 287 

but I think it much more probable that two or 
more were formed from one ring. This would 
account for the almost equal diameters of the 
orbits of some of these bodies. The mode in 
which this might be brought about, has already 
been pointed out. 

Upheavals upon the surface of the central 
mass, similar to those previously discussed, and 
which would be unusually frequent in such a time 
of increased activity as then existed, would pro- 
duce the variety and extent of orbital inclination 
and eccentricities which those little planets pre- 
sent. And this the more, since the small mass of 
an asteroid would cause the upheavals to produce 
the larger effect. Hence we should expect the 
extremest orbital eccentricity and inclination 
found in the System. The extreme obliquity of 
some of these orbits appears to be a crucial fact, 
demonstrating the influence of some power not 
exerted in the plane of the larger planets. 

Hence I conclude that this curious group is no 
anomaly, but that it is a manifestation of the 
working of principles which developed our system, 
and the result of forces still active. 

AS TO THE PLANET SATURN. 

Eight belts have been thrown off, and have 
formed themselves into Satellites, while others are 
packed together in a group of rings which yet re- 
tain their original form. 



288 COSMOLOGY. 

In regard to these, an interesting question has 
arisen as to the Cause of their retaining their form 
and position. 

From reason and analogy it seems that they 
ought, before this, to have condensed into moons. 
It has been shown mathematically that they can- 
not possibly be solid masses. The most generally 
received opinion appears to be that they are belts 
of small moons, infinite in number. But if so, 
they must exert an attraction upon each other 
that would result in their aggregation into one or 
more Spheroids. For it is impossible to conceive 
of such an infinite number of bodies revolving in 
nearly parallel orbits without condensation and 
final solidification, unless some counteracting force 
prevent. This force, I take it, is found in the 
intense heat of the primary which keeps up the 
vaporous condition, and will permit no condensa- 
tion until Saturn itself shall have cooled to a 
much lower temperature. 

The fact that the moons are all exterior to the 
belts, the nearest being 37,500 miles farther from 
the surface of the planet than the outer edge of 
the most distant ring, favors this view, since, by 
the laws of radiant heat, they (the moons) would 
be far less influenced by the temperature of the 
primary body. Moreover, the greater transpa- 
rency of the inmost (or " dark ") ring, and its 
small power of reflecting light, would be the 
legitimate consequences of its greater proximity 



SATURN'S RINGS. 289 

to the planet whose heat caused it to assume a 
condition analogous to superheated steam, but 
was not sufficient to make it incandescent. 

We may obtain some idea of the temperature, 
and consequent condition of the rings, by changing 
the scale and comparing the planet to melted iron, 
although its very small specific gravity seems to 
indicate a much higher degree of heat. Suppose, 
then, the planet to be a sphere of molten iron 
100 feet in diameter. One who has stood near 
the metal flowing from the vent of a large fur- 
nace for some heavy casting, can, perhaps, form 
an approximate idea of the intolerable heat of such 
a mass. 

Twelve feet from its surface would denote the 
interval to the inner or dark ring. At this dis- 
tance iron would soon become white hot, and the 
softer metals melt and some be vaporized ; twenty- 
five feet denotes the distance to the second ring, 
and sixty-five feet, to the outside of the exterior 
ring. Even here wood would be ignited, and 
many substances vaporized, indicating a tempera- 
ture incomparably greater than that which forms 
our clouds. 

The arrangement into parallel rings follows 
necessarily from such a formation, and from the 
varying velocities of different portions of the 
rings, as well as from differences of levity and of 
temperature needed to vaporize their materials. 

One cannot compare the densities of the planets 
13 



290 COSMOLOGY. 

without being impressed by the inequalities, and 
the apparent absence of any law. 

It may be assumed that the density of a planet 
is in some degree an indication of its temperature. 
It is not difficult to understand that a large planet 
would require a much longer time to cool to a 
solid than a small one, and that quite possibly the 
rate of cooling was slower than the rate of planet 
segregation, and that a body like Neptune, some 
seventeen times more massive than our earth, 
might, even at this almost infinite distance from 
the time of its formation, retain a sufficient amount 
of its primeval heat to render it one-sixth as heavy 
as our earth, while Uranus, which is only thirteen 
times more massive, should have attained a density 
somewhat greater, although it does seem somewhat 
hard to believe that these should possess so much 
more levity than our young world. 

Saturn being ninety times larger in mass, it 
seems more reasonable that we should find there a 
still higher remaining temperature, and a still 
smaller specific gravity. 

Jupiter, formed so long after Saturn, and 
weighing three hundred times as much as our 
world, is found to have nearly double the specific 
gravity of the former, a fact which indicates a 
lower temperature. 

Passing to the planets within the orbit of 
Jupiter, the increase of density is great, but per- 
haps no more than is due to their smaller mass, 



SATURN'S KINGS. 291 

and consequent more rapid loss of heat ; nor is the 
difference of density among them remarkable, 
being much less than is found among the solid 
constituents of our earth. 

The most marked discrepancy, all things con- 
sidered, is that existing between the density (or 
temperature) of Saturn and Jupiter. The former 
ought, by superior age, and inferior mass, to be 
cooler, and consequently more dense than the 
latter. But as this is not the case, there must, 
from some cause, have been less loss of heat by 
radiation. Did the smaller loss come from less 
radiating power ? This implies a considerable 
difference in the constitution of the two planets, 
greater than seems reasonable, if they once formed 
portions of the same nebulous mass, existing as 
it must have done, in a state of violent agita- 
tion. 

I think we find one true cause of Saturn's 
greater heat in the peculiar arrangement of its 
own system. The rings radiate and reflect back 
upon it much of the radiant heat of the planet. 
All know the retaining effect of a light cloud 
in our earth's atmosphere, but here is a belt 
having a radiating surface (both sides) of about 
29,000,000,000 square miles, a surface, as it seems 
to me, sufficiently large to very materially retard 
the rate of the planet's cooling, although their 
form is unfavorable to producing the maximum 
effect. 



292 COSMOLOGY. 

It seems that the belts of Saturn are expanding 
at the rate of twenty-nine or thirty miles a year. 
This movement has not continued in one direction 
very long, or else the rings would have been 
destroyed. Most probably it is only one of those 
cloud-like movements, sometimes expanding, and 
at others contracting, which would naturally be 
expected in such bodies as I have supposed these 
to be. 

The two outer planets, although denser than 
Saturn, as by their superior age and less size they 
ought to be, are yet very considerably less dense 
than Jupiter, a result that appears unaccountable, 
save for the same cause that seems to have affected 
Saturn, viz. a system of rings. 

From their immense distance, it is probable 
that these will never be seen, but of their existence 
I have little doubt. 



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